Semiconductor devices including staircase structures

ABSTRACT

A semiconductor device structure comprises stacked tiers each comprising at least one conductive structure and at least one insulating structure longitudinally adjacent the at least one conductive structure, at least one staircase structure having steps comprising lateral ends of the stacked tiers, and at least one opening extending through the stacked tiers and continuously across an entire length of the at least one staircase structure. The at least one conductive structure of each of the stacked tiers extends continuously from at least one of the steps of the at least one staircase structure and around the at least one opening to form at least one continuous conductive path extending completely across each of the stacked tiers. Additional semiconductor device structures, methods of forming semiconductor device structures, and electronic systems are also described.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/202,999, filed Nov. 28, 2018, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/058,921, filed Mar. 2, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,373,970, issued Aug. 6, 2019, the disclosure of each of which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosure, in various embodiments, relates generally to the field of semiconductor device design and fabrication. More specifically, the disclosure relates to semiconductor device structures including staircase structures, and to related methods and electronic systems.

BACKGROUND

A continuing goal of the semiconductor industry has been to increase the memory density (e.g., the number of memory cells per memory die) of memory devices, such as non-volatile memory devices (e.g., NAND Flash memory devices). One way of increasing memory density in non-volatile memory devices is to utilize vertical memory array (also referred to as a “three-dimensional (3D) memory array”) architectures. A conventional vertical memory array includes semiconductor pillars extending through openings in tiers of conductive structures (e.g., word line plates, control gate plates) and dielectric materials at each junction of the semiconductor pillars and the conductive structures. Such a configuration permits a greater number of switching devices (e.g., transistors) to be located in a unit of die area by building the array upwards (e.g., longitudinally, vertically) on a die, as compared to structures with conventional planar (e.g., two-dimensional) arrangements of transistors.

Conventional vertical memory arrays include electrical connections between the conductive structures and access lines (e.g., word lines) so that memory cells in the vertical memory array can be uniquely selected for writing, reading, or erasing operations. One method of forming such an electrical connection includes forming a so-called “staircase” or “stair step” structure at edges of the tiers of conductive structures. The staircase structure includes individual “steps” defining contact regions of the conductive structures upon which contact structures can be positioned to provide electrical access to the conductive structures. Unfortunately, conventional staircase structure fabrication techniques can segment one or more conductive structures of a given tier, resulting in discontinuous conductive paths through the tier that can require the use of multiple (e.g., more than one) switching devices to drive voltages completely across the tier and/or in opposing directions across the tier.

There remains a need for new semiconductor device structures, such as memory array blocks for 3D non-volatile memory devices (e.g., 3D NAND Flash memory devices), as well as for associated memory devices and electronic systems including the semiconductor device structures, and simple, cost-efficient methods of forming semiconductor device structures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A through 1G are perspective (FIGS. 1A through 1F) and top-down (FIG. 1G) views illustrating a method of forming a semiconductor device structure, in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a semiconductor device structure, in accordance with additional embodiments of the disclosure.

FIGS. 3A through 3F are perspective (FIGS. 3A through 3E) and top-down (FIG. 3F) views illustrating a method of forming a semiconductor device structure, in accordance with further embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a semiconductor device structure, in accordance with additional embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a semiconductor device structure, in accordance with further embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an electronic system in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Semiconductor device structures (e.g., memory array blocks) including staircase structures are described, as are related methods and electronic systems. In some embodiments, a semiconductor device structure includes stacked tiers each including at least one conductive structure and at least one insulating structure longitudinally adjacent the at least one conductive structure, one or more staircase structures including steps defined by lateral ends of the stacked tiers, and one or more openings extending through the stacked tiers and continuously across an entire length of the at least one staircase structure. The conductive structure of each of the stacked tiers may extend continuously from at least one of the steps of the at least one staircase structure and around the opening (e.g., around ends and one or more sides of the opening) to form a continuous conductive path extending completely across each of the stacked tiers. In additional embodiments, a semiconductor device structure formed in accordance with the methods of the disclosure includes stacked tiers each including conductive structures and insulating structures longitudinally adjacent the conductive structures, stadium structures each including opposing staircase structures having steps defined by lateral ends of the stacked tiers, at least one opening laterally intervening between at least two of the stadium structures and extending through the stacked tiers and continuously across entire lengths of the at least two stadium structures, conductive contact structures coupled to the conductive structures of the stacked tiers at steps of the opposing staircase structures of at least one of the stadium structures, and conductive routing structures coupled to and extending completely between pairs of the conductive contact structures to form at least one continuous conductive path extending completely across each of the stacked tiers. The structures and methods of the disclosure may permit individual (e.g., single) switching devices (e.g., transistors) of at least one string driver device electrically connected to one or more conductive structures of an individual tier to drive voltages completely across and/or in opposing directions across the tier. The structures and methods of the disclosure may decrease the number of switching devices and interconnections required to effectively operate a memory device, and may increase one or more of memory device performance, scalability, efficiency, and simplicity as compared to many conventional structures and methods.

The following description provides specific details, such as material compositions and processing conditions, in order to provide a thorough description of embodiments of the present disclosure. However, a person of ordinary skill in the art would understand that the embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced without employing these specific details. Indeed, the embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced in conjunction with conventional semiconductor fabrication techniques employed in the industry. In addition, the description provided below does not form a complete process flow for manufacturing a semiconductor device (e.g., a memory device). The semiconductor device structures described below do not form a complete semiconductor device. Only those process acts and structures necessary to understand the embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail below. Additional acts to form a complete semiconductor device from the semiconductor device structures may be performed by conventional fabrication techniques.

Drawings presented herein are for illustrative purposes only, and are not meant to be actual views of any particular material, component, structure, device, or system. Variations from the shapes depicted in the drawings as a result, for example, of manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances, are to be expected. Thus, embodiments described herein are not to be construed as being limited to the particular shapes or regions as illustrated, but include deviations in shapes that result, for example, from manufacturing. For example, a region illustrated or described as box-shaped may have rough and/or nonlinear features, and a region illustrated or described as round may include some rough and/or linear features. Moreover, sharp angles that are illustrated may be rounded, and vice versa. Thus, the regions illustrated in the figures are schematic in nature, and their shapes are not intended to illustrate the precise shape of a region and do not limit the scope of the present claims. The drawings are not necessarily to scale. Additionally, elements common between figures may retain the same numerical designation.

As used herein, the terms “vertical”, “longitudinal”, “horizontal”, and “lateral” are in reference to a major plane of a structure and are not necessarily defined by earth's gravitational field. A “horizontal” or “lateral” direction is a direction that is substantially parallel to the major plane of the structure, while a “vertical” or “longitudinal” direction is a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the major plane of the structure. The major plane of the structure is defined by a surface of the structure having a relatively large area compared to other surfaces of the structure.

As used herein, spatially relative terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “bottom,” “above,” “upper,” “top,” “front,” “rear,” “left,” “right,” and the like, may be used for ease of description to describe one element's or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Unless otherwise specified, the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the materials in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if materials in the figures are inverted, elements described as “below” or “beneath” or “under” or “on bottom of” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” or “on top of” the other elements or features. Thus, the term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below, depending on the context in which the term is used, which will be evident to one of ordinary skill in the art. The materials may be otherwise oriented (e.g., rotated 90 degrees, inverted, flipped) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.

As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

As used herein, “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

As used herein, the term “configured” refers to a size, shape, material composition, and arrangement of one or more of at least one structure and at least one apparatus facilitating operation of one or more of the structure and the apparatus in a pre-determined way.

As used herein, the phrase “coupled to” refers to structures operatively connected with each other, such as electrically connected through a direct ohmic connection or through an indirect connection (e.g., via another structure).

As used herein, the term “mirrors” means and includes that at least two structures are mirror images of one another. As a non-limiting example, a first staircase structure that mirrors a second staircase structure may exhibit the substantially the same size and substantially the same shape as the second staircase structure, but may outwardly extend in a direction that opposes a direction in which the second structure outwardly extends. The first staircase structure may, for example, exhibit a generally negative slope, and the second staircase structure may exhibit a generally positive slope.

As used herein, the term “substantially” in reference to a given parameter, property, or condition means and includes to a degree that one of ordinary skill in the art would understand that the given parameter, property, or condition is met with a degree of variance, such as within acceptable manufacturing tolerances. By way of example, depending on the particular parameter, property, or condition that is substantially met, the parameter, property, or condition may be at least 90.0% met, at least 95.0% met, at least 99.0% met, or even at least 99.9% met.

As used herein, the term “about” in reference to a given parameter is inclusive of the stated value and has the meaning dictated by the context (e.g., it includes the degree of error associated with measurement of the given parameter).

FIGS. 1A through 1G are simplified perspective (FIGS. 1A through 1F) and top-down (FIG. 1G) views illustrating embodiments of a method of forming a semiconductor device structure including a staircase structure, such as a memory array structure (e.g., a memory array block) for a 3D non-volatile memory device (e.g., a 3D NAND Flash memory device). With the description provided below, it will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the methods described herein may be used in various devices. In other words, the methods of the disclosure may be used whenever it is desired to form a semiconductor device including a staircase structure.

Referring to FIG. 1A, a semiconductor device structure 100 may include a stack structure 102 exhibiting an alternating sequence of insulating structures 104 and additional insulating structures 106 arranged in tiers 108. Each of the tiers 108 may include one of the insulating structures 104 and one of the additional insulating structures 106. For clarity and ease of understanding of the drawings and related description, FIG. 1A shows the stack structure 102 as including eleven (11) tiers 108 (i.e., tiers 108 a through 108 k) of the insulating structures 104 and the additional insulating structures 106. However, the stack structure 102 may include a different number of tiers 108. For example, in additional embodiments, the stack structure 102 may include greater than eleven (11) tiers 108 (e.g., greater than or equal to fifteen (15) tiers 108, greater than or equal to twenty-five (25) tiers 108, greater than or equal to fifty (50) tiers 108, greater than or equal to one hundred (100) tiers 108) of the insulating structures 104 and the additional insulating structures 106, or may include less than eleven (11) tiers 108 (e.g., less than or equal to ten (10) tiers 108, less than or equal to five (5) tiers 108, less than or equal to three (3) tiers 108) of the insulating structures 104 and the additional insulating structures 106.

The insulating structures 104 may be formed of and include at least one insulating material, such as one or more of an oxide material (e.g., silicon dioxide, phosphosilicate glass, borosilicate glass, borophosphosilicate glass, fluorosilicate glass, titanium dioxide, zirconium dioxide, hafnium dioxide, tantalum oxide, magnesium oxide, aluminum oxide, or a combination thereof), a nitride material (e.g., silicon nitride), an oxynitride material (e.g., silicon oxynitride), and amphorous carbon. Each of the insulating structures 104 may independently include a substantially homogeneous distribution or a substantially heterogeneous distribution of the at least one insulating material. In some embodiments, each of the insulating structures 104 exhibits a substantially homogeneous distribution of insulating material. In additional embodiments, at least one of the insulating structures 104 exhibits a substantially heterogeneous distribution of at least one conductive material. One or more of the insulating structures 104 may, for example, be formed of and include a stack (e.g., laminate) of at least two different insulating materials. In some embodiments, each of the insulating structures 104 is formed of and includes silicon dioxide. The insulating structures 104 may each be substantially planar, and may each independently exhibit any desired thickness. In addition, each of the insulating structures 104 may be substantially the same (e.g., exhibit substantially the same material composition, material distribution, size, and shape) as one another, or at least one of the insulating structures 104 may be different (e.g., exhibit one or more of a different material composition, a different material distribution, a different size, and a different shape) than at least one other of the insulating structures 104. In some embodiments, each of the insulating structures 104 is substantially the same as each other of the insulating structures 104.

The additional insulating structures 106 may each be formed of and include at least one additional insulating material that may be selectively removable relative to the insulating material of the insulating structures 104. The at least one additional insulating material of the additional insulating structures 106 may be different than the insulating material of the insulating structures 104, and may comprise one or more of an oxide material (e.g., silicon dioxide, phosphosilicate glass, borosilicate glass, borophosphosilicate glass, fluorosilicate glass, titanium dioxide, zirconium dioxide, hafnium dioxide, tantalum oxide, magnesium oxide, aluminum oxide, or combinations thereof), a nitride material (e.g., silicon nitride), an oxynitride material (e.g., silicon oxynitride), and amphorous carbon. Each of the additional insulating structures 106 may independently include a substantially homogeneous distribution or a substantially heterogeneous distribution of the at least one additional insulating material. In some embodiments, each of the additional insulating structures 106 exhibits a substantially homogeneous distribution of additional insulating material. In further embodiments, at least one of the additional insulating structures 106 exhibits a substantially heterogeneous distribution of at least one conductive material. One or more of the additional insulating structures 106 may, for example, be formed of and include a stack (e.g., laminate) of at least two different additional insulating materials. In some embodiments, each of the additional insulating structures 106 is formed of and includes silicon nitride. The additional insulating structures 106 may each be substantially planar, and may each independently exhibit any desired thickness. In addition, each of the additional insulating structures 106 may be substantially the same (e.g., exhibit substantially the same material composition, material distribution, size, and shape) as one another, or at least one of the additional insulating structures 106 may be different (e.g., exhibit one or more of a different material composition, a different material distribution, a different size, and a different shape) than at least one other of the additional insulating structures 106. In some embodiments, each of the additional insulating structures 106 is substantially the same as each other of the additional insulating structures 106. The additional insulating structures 106 may serve as sacrificial structures for the subsequent formation of conductive structures, as described in further detail below.

As shown in FIG. 1A, in some embodiments, the alternating sequence of the insulating structures 104 and the additional insulating structures 106 begins with one of the insulating structures 104. In additional embodiments, the insulating structures 104 and the additional insulating structures 106 exhibit a different arrangement relative to one another. By way of non-limiting example, the insulating structures 104 and the additional insulating structures 106 may be arranged in an alternating sequence beginning with one of the additional insulating structures 106. In some embodiments, each of the tiers 108 includes one of the additional insulating structures 106 on or over one of the insulating structures 104. In additional embodiments, each of the tiers 108 includes one of the insulating structures 104 on or over one of the additional insulating structures 106.

The stack structure 102, including the each of the tiers 108 thereof, may be formed using conventional processes (e.g., conventional deposition processes, conventional material removal processes) and conventional processing equipment, which are not described in detail herein. By way of non-limiting example, the insulating structures 104 and the additional insulating structures 106 may be formed through one or more of in situ growth, spin-on coating, blanket coating, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), and physical vapor deposition (PVD).

Referring next to FIG. 1B, a masking structure 110 may be formed on or over the stack structure 102. The masking structure 110 may be formed of and include at least one material (e.g., at least one hard mask material) suitable for use as an etch mask to pattern portions of the stack structure 102 (e.g., portions of the tiers 108, including portions of the insulating structures 104 and portions of the additional insulating structures 106, remaining uncovered by the masking structure 110) to form at least one staircase structure, as described in further detail below. By way of non-limiting example, the masking structure 110 may be formed of and include at least one of amorphous carbon, silicon, a silicon oxide, a silicon nitride, a silicon oxycarbide, aluminum oxide, and a silicon oxynitride. The masking structure 110 may be homogeneous (e.g., may comprise a single material layer), or may be heterogeneous (e.g., may comprise a stack exhibiting at least two different material layers).

The position and dimensions of the masking structure 110 may be selected at least partially based on desired positions and desired dimensions of one or more staircase structures to be subsequently formed in the stack structure 102. By way of non-limiting example, as shown in FIG. 1B, the masking structure 110 may be centrally positioned on or over the stack structure 102 in the Y-direction, may have a width W₂ less than the width W₁ of the stack structure 102, and may have substantially the same length L₁ as the stack structure 102. Widths of portions of the stack structure 102 remaining uncovered by (e.g., not underlying) the masking structure 110 may correspond to widths of the one or more staircase structures to be subsequently formed in the stack structure 102. In additional embodiments, the masking structure 110 may exhibit one or more of a different position (e.g., a different position in one or more of the X-direction and the Y-direction), a different width W₂, and a different length (e.g., a length less than the length L₁). As a non-limiting example, the masking structure 110 may be centrally positioned on or over the stack structure 102 in each of the Y-direction and the X-direction, may have a width W₂ less than the width W₁ of the stack structure 102, and may have a length less than the length L₁ of the stack structure 102. As another non-limiting example, the masking structure 110 may be non-centrally positioned over the stack structure 102 in the Y-direction, may have a width W₂ less than the width W₁ of the stack structure 102, and may have substantially the same length L₁ as the stack structure 102. The masking structure 110 may be formed on or over the stack structure 102 to any desired thickness.

The masking structure 110 may be formed using conventional processes (e.g., conventional deposition processes, such as at least one of in situ growth, spin-on coating, blanket coating, CVD, PECVD, ALD, and PVD, conventional photolithography processes, conventional material removal processes) and conventional processing equipment, which are not described in detail herein.

Referring to next to FIG. 1C, portions of the stack structure 102 (FIG. 1B) (e.g., portions of one or more of the tiers 108) remaining uncovered by the masking structure 110 may be subjected to at least one material removal process (e.g., one or more of a trimming process and a chopping process) to form a modified stack structure 112. The modified stack structure 112 may include one or more staircase structures 114 each independently formed of and including one or more steps 116. The steps 116 of the one or more staircase structures 114 may be at least partially defined by exposed portions of one or more of the tiers 108 remaining following the at least one material removal process.

The modified stack structure 112 may include a single (e.g., only one) staircase structure 114, or may include multiple (e.g., more than one) staircase structures 114. In some embodiments, the modified stack structure 112 includes multiple staircase structures 114. By way of non-limiting example, as shown in FIG. 1C, the modified stack structure 112 may include one or more so-called stadium structures 118 each including opposing staircase structures 114. A first stadium structure 118 a may be positioned along one side of the masking structure 110, and a second stadium structure 118 b may be positioned along an opposing side of the masking structure 110. The first stadium structure 118 a may include a first forward staircase structure 114 a, and a first reverse staircase structure 114 b that mirrors the first forward staircase structure 114 a. The second stadium structure 118 b may extend parallel to the first stadium structure 118 a (e.g., the first stadium structure 118 a and the second stadium structure 118 b may both extend in the X-direction), and may include a second forward staircase structure 114 c, and a second reverse staircase structure 114 d that mirrors the second forward staircase structure 114 c. The first stadium structure 118 a and the second stadium structure 118 b may be substantially similar to one another (e.g., may exhibit substantially the same shapes and sizes as one another), or may be different than one another (e.g., may exhibit one or more of different shapes and different sizes than one another). In some embodiments, the first stadium structure 118 a and the second stadium structure 118 b are substantially similar to one another. The first stadium structure 118 a and the second stadium structure 118 b may serve as redundant and/or alternative means of connecting to one or more of the tiers 108 of the modified stack structure 112, as may the opposing staircase structures (e.g., the first forward staircase structure 114 a and the first reverse staircase structure 114 b of the first stadium structure 118 a, and/or the second forward staircase structure 114 c and the second reverse staircase structure 114 d of the second stadium structure 118 b) of one or more of the first stadium structure 118 a and the second stadium structure 118 b.

In additional embodiments, the modified stack structure 112 may exhibit one or more of a different number and different configuration of the staircase structures 114. By way of non-limiting example, the modified stack structure 112 may include only one (1) stadium structure 118 (e.g., only the first stadium structure 118 a, or only the second stadium structure 118 b), may include more than two (2) stadium structures 118 extending parallel to one another, may include two or more stadium structures 118 extending in series with one another, may include one or more forward staircase structures (e.g., one or more of the first forward staircase structure 114 a and the second forward staircase structure 114 c) but not one or more reverse staircase structures (e.g., one or more of the first reverse staircase structure 114 b and the second reverse staircase structure 114 d may be omitted), may include one or more reverse staircase structures (e.g., one or more of the first reverse staircase structure 114 b and the second reverse staircase structure 114 d) but not one or more forward staircase structures (e.g., one or more of the first forward staircase structure 114 a and the second forward staircase structure 114 c may be omitted), may include two or more forward staircase structures extending in series with one another, and/or may include two or more reverse staircase structures extending in series with one another.

Each of the staircase structures 114 included in the modified stack structure 112 may independently include a desired number of steps 116. The number of steps 116 included in each of the staircase structures 114 may be substantially the same as (e.g., equal to) or may be different than (e.g., less than, or greater than) the number of tiers 108 in the modified stack structure 112. In some embodiments, the number of steps 116 included in each of the staircase structures 114 is less than the number of tiers 108 in the modified stack structure 112. As a non-limiting example, as shown in FIG. 1C, each of the staircase structures 114 (e.g., the first forward staircase structure 114 a, the first reverse staircase structure 114 b, the second forward staircase structure 114 c, and the second reverse staircase structure 114 d) may include ten (10) steps 116 at least partially defined by ends of the eleven (11) tiers 108 (e.g., tiers 108 a through 108 k) of the modified stack structure 112. In additional embodiments, one or more of the staircase structures 114 may include a different number of steps 116 (e.g., less than ten (10) steps 116, greater than ten (10) steps 116). By way of non-limiting example, if the modified stack structure 112 includes eleven (11) tiers 108, at least one of the staircase structures 114 may include five (5) steps 116 at least partially defined by ends of a relatively lower group of the tiers 108 (e.g., tier 108 f through tier 108 k), and at least one other of the staircase structures 114 may include five (5) steps 116 at least partially defined by ends of a relatively higher group of the tiers 108 (e.g., tiers 108 a through 108 e).

The dimensions of each of the steps 116 may independently be tailored to desired dimensions and positions of additional structures (e.g., conductive structures, conductive contact structures) and/or openings (e.g., slots) to be formed in, on, over, and/or adjacent to the steps 116 during subsequent processing of the semiconductor device structure 100, as described in further detail below. In some embodiments, each of the steps 116 exhibits substantially the same dimensions (e.g., substantially the same width, substantially the same length, and substantially the same height) as each other of the steps 116. In additional embodiments, at least one of the steps 116 exhibits different dimensions (e.g., one or more of a different width, a different length, and a different height) than at least one other of the steps 116.

The staircase structures 114 may be formed using conventional processes (e.g., conventional photolithography processes, conventional material removal processes) and conventional processing equipment, which are not described in detail herein. By way of non-limiting example, a photoresist structure may be formed on or over at least uncovered portions of the stack structure 102 (FIG. 1B), the photoresist structure may be photolithographically processed (e.g., photoexposed and developed) to remove at least one width thereof, one or more of the tiers 108 may be etched (e.g., anisotropically etched, such as anisotropically dry etched) using the masking structure 110 and remaining portions of the photoresist structure as etching masks, the photoresist structure may be subjected to additional photolithographic processing to remove at least one additional width thereof, at least another group of the tiers 108 (e.g., previously etched tiers 108 and one or more additional tiers 108) may be etched using the masking structure 110 and newly remaining portions of the photoresist structure as etching masks, and so on, until the modified stack structure 112 including the one or more staircase structures 114 is formed.

Referring next to FIG. 1D, the masking structure 110 (FIG. 1C) may be removed, and one or more openings 120 (e.g., slots, apertures, slits) may be formed in the modified stack structure 112. The masking structure 110 may be removed using one or more conventional material removal processes, which are not described in detail herein. By way of non-limiting example, the masking structure 110 may be selectively removed through at least one conventional etching process (e.g., a conventional wet etching process, a conventional dry etching process).

The openings 120 may longitudinally extend (e.g., in the Z-direction) through (e.g., completely through) the modified stack structure 112, may be positioned laterally inward (e.g., in the Y-direction) of the staircase structures 114, and may continuously laterally extend (e.g., in the X-direction) across the entire lengths of the staircase structures 114. By way of non-limiting example, as shown in FIG. 1D, the openings 120 may extend completely through each of the tiers 108, may be positioned laterally inwardly adjacent the stadium structures 118, and may continuously laterally extend across the entire lengths of the stadium structures 118. A first opening 120 a may be positioned laterally between (e.g., in the Y-direction) the first stadium structure 118 a and a remaining middle section 122 of the modified stack structure 112, and may laterally extend (e.g., in the X-direction) from a top (e.g., a laterally inward end of tier 108 a) of the first forward staircase structure 114 a to a top (e.g., an opposing laterally inward end of tier 108 a) of the first reverse staircase structure 114 b. A second opening 120 b may be positioned laterally between (e.g., in the Y-direction) the second stadium structure 118 b and the remaining middle section 122 of the modified stack structure 112, and may laterally extend parallel (e.g., in the X-direction) to the first opening 120 a from a top (e.g., a laterally inward end of tier 108 a) of the second forward staircase structure 114 c to a top (e.g., an opposing laterally inward end of tier 108 a) of the second reverse staircase structure 114 d.

In additional embodiments, one or more of the openings 120 may exhibit a different configuration than that depicted in FIG. 1D. As a non-limiting example, in embodiments wherein the modified stack structure 112 includes at least one forward staircase structure (e.g., the first forward staircase structure 114 a, and/or the second forward staircase structure 114 c) but not at least one reverse staircase structure (e.g., not at least one of the first reverse staircase structure 114 b and the second reverse staircase structure 114 d) opposing the forward staircase structure, the opening 120 may be positioned laterally inward (e.g., laterally adjacent) the forward staircase structure and may longitudinally extend completely through the tiers 108, but may continuously laterally extend from a top (e.g., a laterally inward end of the tier 108 a) of the forward staircase structure to a bottom (e.g., as defined by one or more of the tier 108 k and the tier 108 j) of the forward staircase structure. As another non-limiting example, in embodiments wherein the modified stack structure 112 includes at least one reverse staircase structure (e.g., the first reverse staircase structure 114 b, and/or the second reverse staircase structure 114 d) but not at least one forward staircase structure (e.g., not at least one of the first forward staircase structure 114 a and the second forward staircase structure 114 c) opposing the reverse staircase structure, the opening 120 may be positioned laterally inward (e.g., laterally adjacent) the reverse staircase structure and may longitudinally extend completely through the tiers 108, but may continuously laterally extend from a bottom (e.g., as defined by one or more of the tier 108 k and the tier 108 j and) of the reverse staircase structure to a top (e.g., a laterally inward end of the tier 108 a) of the reverse staircase structure.

Any desired number (e.g., quantity, amount) of openings 120 may be formed in the modified stack structure 112. The number of openings 120 may correspond to desired configurations (e.g., shapes, sizes, positions) of conductive structures to be formed in the modified stack structure 112 through subsequent processing acts, as described in further detail below. A single (e.g., only one) opening 120 may be formed laterally inward (e.g., in the Y-direction) of the staircase structures 114 and may continuously laterally extend across and between (e.g., in the X-direction) the staircase structures 114, or multiple (e.g., more than one) openings 120 may be formed laterally inward (e.g., in the Y-direction) of the staircase structures 114 and may continuously laterally extend in parallel across and between (e.g., in the X-direction) the staircase structures 114. As shown in FIG. 1D, in some embodiments, two (2) openings 120 (e.g., the first opening 120 a, and the second opening 120 b) are formed in the modified stack structure 112. The two (2) openings 120 may be disposed between the stadium structures 118 (e.g., the first stadium structure 118 a, and the second stadium structure 118 b) of the modified stack structure 112, and may flank opposing sides of the remaining middle section 122 of the modified stack structure 112. In additional embodiments, more than two (2) openings 120 are formed in the modified stack structure 112. For example, at least one additional opening (e.g., a third opening) may be formed in the remaining middle section 122 of the modified stack structure 112 (e.g., laterally between the first opening 120 a and the second opening 120 b). The at least one additional opening may extend completely longitudinally through the remaining middle section 122 of the modified stack structure 112, and may continuously laterally extend across the remaining middle section 122 in parallel to the other openings 120 (e.g., the first opening 120 a, and the second opening 120 b).

The dimensions and spacing of the one or more openings 120 may be selected to provide desired dimensions (e.g., widths) to and/or maintain desired dimensions of the staircase structures 114 (including the steps 116 thereof), and to provide desired dimensions (e.g., widths), continuity, and spacing to conductive structures to be formed using the openings 120, as described in further detail below. If more than one opening 120 is formed in the modified stack structure 112, each of the openings 120 may exhibit substantially the same dimensions (e.g., substantially the same width, substantially the same length, and substantially the same height), or at least one of the openings 120 may exhibit one or more different dimensions (e.g., a different width, a different length, and/or a different height) than at least one other of the openings 120. In some embodiments, each of the openings 120 exhibits substantially the same dimensions. In addition, if more than two (2) openings 120 are formed in the modified stack structure 112, adjacent openings 120 may be substantially uniformly (e.g., evenly) spaced apart from one another, or may be non-uniformly (non-evenly) spaced apart from one another. In some embodiments, adjacent openings 120 are substantially uniformly spaced apart from one another. The openings 120 may be symmetrically distributed across the modified stack structure 112, or may be asymmetrically distributed across the modified stack structure 112.

The openings 120 may be formed in the modified stack structure 112 using at least one conventional material removal processes, which is not described in detail herein. For example, one or more portions of the modified stack structure 112 may be subjected to at least one etching process (e.g., at least one dry etching process, such as at least one of a reactive ion etching (RIE) process, a deep RIE process, a plasma etching process, a reactive ion beam etching process, and a chemically assisted ion beam etching process; at least one wet etching process, such as at least one of a hydrofluoric acid etching process, a buffered hydrofluoric acid etching process, and a buffered oxide etching process) to form the openings 120 in the modified stack structure 112. The material removal process may remove one or more portions of the staircase structures 114 (e.g., so as to reduce widths of the staircase structures 114), and/or may remove one or more portions of the modified stack structure 112 previously covered by the masking structure 110 (FIG. 1C).

Referring next to FIG. 1E, portions of the additional insulating structures 106 (FIG. 1D) may be selectively removed, and may be replaced with a conductive material to form a conductive stack structure 124. As shown in FIG. 1E, each of the tiers 108 of the conductive stack structure 124 may include one or more conductive structures 126 (e.g., conductive gates, conductive plates) extending (e.g., in the X-direction and/or in the Y-direction) into lateral surfaces thereof. The one or more conductive structures 126 of each tier 108 of the conductive stack structure 126 may at least partially (e.g., substantially) laterally surround remaining portions 128 (e.g., unremoved portions) of the additional insulating structures 106.

The conductive structures 126 may follow (e.g., route along) lateral (e.g., side) surfaces of the conductive stack structure 124. For example, the conductive structures 126 may extend into and along outer lateral surfaces (e.g., peripheral lateral surfaces) of the tiers 108, as well as into and along inner lateral surfaces of the tiers 108 (e.g., lateral surfaces at least partially defined by the openings 120 longitudinally extending through the tiers 108). For each of the tiers 108, the conductive structures 126 may laterally extend to and around each of the openings 120 (e.g., completely around ends of the openings 120, and completely across the portions of the middle section 122 of the conductive stack structure 124 adjacent the openings 120) to form one or more continuous conductive paths between a first end 130 of the conductive stack structure 124 and a second, opposing end 132 of the conductive stack structure 124. The first end 130 and the second, opposing end 132 of the conductive stack structure 124 may each be coupled to other components of a semiconductor device (e.g., a memory device) including the semiconductor device structure 100, such as one or more memory cell arrays (e.g., vertical memory cell arrays). In addition, portions of at least some of the conductive structures 126 may laterally extend (e.g., in the X-direction) to and at least partially define the staircase structures 114 of the conductive stack structure 124 to form conductive contact regions (e.g., landing pad regions) for at least some of the tiers 108. For each of the conductive structures 126, portions thereof laterally extending to and at least partially defining one or more of the staircase structures 114 may be integral and continuous with other portions thereof laterally extending to and around the openings 120 positioned laterally inward of (e.g., laterally inwardly adjacent) the staircase structures 114. Furthermore, in tiers 108 longitudinally below the staircase structures 114 (e.g., untrimmed tiers 108 and/or unchopped tiers 108), the conductive structures 126 thereof may laterally extend to and may completely surround the openings 120.

In some embodiments, the conductive stack structure 124 includes multiple (e.g., more than one) conductive structures 126 in one or more (e.g., each) of the tiers 108 thereof. By way of non-limiting example, as shown in FIG. 1E, each of the one or more tiers 108 may include one conductive structure 126 at least partially defining the first stadium structure 118 a and surrounding sides of the first opening 120 a, and may also include an additional conductive structure 126 at least partially defining the second stadium structure 118 b and surrounding sides of the second opening 120 b. The conductive structures 126 associated with the first stadium structure 118 a and the first opening 120 a may each extend laterally inward from the first end 130 and the second, opposing end 132 of the conductive stack structure 124 along outer lateral surfaces of the conductive stack structure 124 to the first stadium structure 118 a, wherein portions of each of the conductive structures 126 may at least partially define the first stadium structure 118 a (e.g., including the first forward staircase structure 114 a and the first reverse staircase structure 114 b) and other portions of each of the conductive structures 126 may extend around inner lateral surfaces of the conductive stack structure 124 at least partially defined by the first opening 120 a. The additional conductive structures 126 associated with the second stadium structure 118 b and the second opening 120 b may each extend laterally inward from the first end 130 and the second, opposing end 132 of the conductive stack structure 124 along other outer lateral surfaces of the conductive stack structure 124 to the second stadium structure 118 b, wherein portions of each of the additional conductive structures 126 may at least partially define the second stadium structure 118 b (e.g., including the second forward staircase structure 114 c and the second reverse staircase structure 114 d) and other portions of each of the additional conductive structures 126 may extend around inner lateral surfaces of the conductive stack structure 124 at least partially defined by the second opening 120 b. For each of the tiers 108, the multiple conductive structures 126 may be separated (e.g., isolated) from one another by the remaining portion 128 of the additional insulating structure 106 (FIG. 1D). For example, as shown in FIG. 1E, for each of the different tiers 108 (e.g., each of the tiers 108 a through 108 k) of the conductive stack structure 124, a conductive structure 126 associated with the first stadium structure 118 a and the first opening 120 a may be separated from an additional conductive structure 126 associated with the second stadium structure 118 b and the second opening 120 b by the remaining portion 128 of the additional insulating structure 106.

In additional embodiments, the conductive stack structure 124 includes a single (e.g., only one) conductive structure 126 in one or more (e.g., each) of the tiers 108 thereof. The single conductive structure 126 of each of the one or more tiers 108 may at least partially define each of the staircase structures 114, and may surround sides of each of the openings 120. For each of the one or more tiers 108, all portions of the single conductive structure 126 thereof may be integral and continuous with one another, and may form a continuous conductive path extending from the first end 130 of the conductive stack structure 124 to the second, opposing end 132 of the of the conductive stack structure 124. By way of non-limiting example, in embodiments wherein the conductive stack structure 124 includes at least one additional opening laterally between the first opening 120 a and the second opening 120 b, each of the tiers 108 may include a single conductive structure 126 at least partially defining each of the first stadium structure 118 a and the second stadium structure 118 b and surrounding sides of each of the first opening 120 a, the second opening 120 b, and the at least one additional opening. The single conductive structure 126 may extend laterally inward from the first end 130 and the second, opposing end 132 of the conductive stack structure 124 along outer lateral surfaces of the conductive stack structure 124 to each of the first stadium structure 118 a and the second stadium structure 118 b, wherein portions of the single conductive structure 126 may extend into and at least partially define the first stadium structure 118 a (e.g., including the first forward staircase structure 114 a and the first reverse staircase structure 114 b) and second stadium structure 118 b (e.g., including the second forward staircase structure 114 c and the second reverse staircase structure 114 d) and other portions of the single conductive structure 126 may extend around inner lateral surfaces of the tier 108 at least partially defined by one or more of the first opening 120 a, the second opening 120 b, and the additional opening. In such embodiments, the remaining portions 128 of the additional insulating structure 106 (FIG. 1D) laterally intervening between the first opening 120 a and the second opening 120 b may be absent (e.g., omitted) from the conductive stack structure 124.

The dimensions and shapes of the conductive structures 126 may directly correspond to the dimensions and shapes of the removed portions of the additional insulating structures 106 (FIG. 1D). A width (e.g., lateral depth within the conductive stack structure 124) of each of the conductive structures 126 may be substantially uniform across the entire path (e.g., route) of the conductive structure 126, or the width of at least one of the conductive structures 126 may be substantially non-uniform (e.g., variable) across different portions of the path of the conductive structure 126. In addition, each of the conductive structures 126 may exhibit a different shape and at least one different dimension than each other of the conductive structures 126, or at least one of the conductive structures 126 may exhibit one or more of substantially the same shape and substantially the same dimensions as at least one other of the conductive structures 126. By way of non-limiting example, as shown in FIG. 1E, conductive structures 126 of different tiers 108 may exhibit different shapes and different dimensions (e.g., different lengths associated with the locations of the different steps 116 of the staircase structures 114) than one another, but conductive structures 126 within the same tier 108 may exhibit substantially the same shapes and substantially the same dimensions as one another (e.g., conductive structures 126 within the same tier 108 may be mirror images of one another). In additional embodiments, conductive structures 126 of two or more different tiers 108 may exhibit substantially the same shapes and substantially the same dimensions as one another. In further embodiments, conductive structures 126 within the same tier 108 may exhibit one or more of a different shape and at least one different dimension than one another.

The conductive structures 126 may be formed of and include at least one conductive material, such as a metal, a metal alloy, a conductive metal oxide, a conductive metal nitride, a conductive metal silicide, a conductively-doped semiconductor material, or combinations thereof. By way of non-limiting example, the conductive structures 126 may be formed of and include at least one of tungsten (W), tungsten nitride (WN), nickel (Ni), tantalum (Ta), tantalum nitride (TaN), tantalum silicide (TaSi), platinum (Pt), copper (Cu), silver (Ag), gold (Au), aluminum (Al), molybdenum (Mo), titanium (Ti), titanium nitride (TiN), titanium silicide (TiSi), titanium silicon nitride (TiSiN), titanium aluminum nitride (TiAlN), molybdenum nitride (MoN), iridium (Ir), iridium oxide (IrOx), ruthenium (Ru), ruthenium oxide (RuOx), and conductively-doped silicon. In some embodiments, the conductive structures 126 are formed of and include W.

The conductive structures 126 may be formed by selectively removing portions of the additional insulating structures 106 (FIG. 1D) relative to the insulating structures 104 to form recessed regions laterally extending into each of the tiers 108, and then at least partially (e.g., substantially) filling the recessed regions with at least one conductive material. The recessed regions may be formed by subjecting the modified stack structure 112 (FIG. 1D) to at least one etching processing (e.g., an isotropic etching process) employing an etch chemistry in which the insulative material of the additional insulating structures 106 (FIG. 1D) is selectively removed relative to that of the insulating structures 104. By way of non-limiting example, if the insulating structures 104 are formed of and include silicon dioxide (SiO₂), and the additional insulating structures 106 are formed of and include silicon nitride (Si₃N₄), the modified stack structure 112 may be exposed to an etchant comprising phosphoric acid (H₃O₄P) to selectively remove portions of the additional insulating structures 106 adjacent exposed lateral surfaces (e.g., exposed outer lateral surfaces, exposed inner lateral surfaces at least partially defined by the openings 120) of the modified stack structure 112. Thereafter, the conductive material may be formed (e.g., delivered, deposited) within recessed regions to form the conductive structures 126.

In additional embodiments, rather than selectively removing and replacing portions of the additional insulating structures 106 (FIG. 1D) to form the conductive stack structure 124, portions of the insulating structures 104 may instead be selectively removed and replaced with conductive material to form a conductive stack structure. Aside from the sequence (e.g., order) of the alternating conductive structures and insulating structures of such a conductive stack structure and differences (if any) associated with material properties of the insulating structures 104 as compared to those of the additional insulating structures 106, such a conductive stack structure may be substantially similar to and may have little or no difference in terms of functionality and/or operability as compared to the conductive stack structure 124 depicted in FIG. 1E.

Referring next to FIG. 1F, conductive contact structures 134 (e.g., conductive plugs, conductive vertical interconnects) may be formed on, over, and/or within the one or more of staircase structures 114 of the conductive stack structure 124, and conductive routing structures 136 (e.g., conductive interconnects, conductive bridges) may be formed to electrically connect the conductive contact structures 134 to at least one string driver device 138. FIG. 1G is a top-down view of the semiconductor device structure 100 at the processing stage depicted in FIG. 1F.

The conductive contact structures 134 may be coupled to the conductive structures 126 of the tiers 108 of the conductive stack structure 124 at the steps 116 of the staircase structures 114. Each of the tiers 108 (e.g., each of the tiers 108 a through 108 k) may have one or more of the conductive contact structures 134 coupled to the conductive structure(s) 126 thereof, or less than all of the tiers 108 (e.g., less than all of the tiers 108 a through 108 k, such as only tiers 108 b through 108 j) may have one or more of the conductive contact structures 134 coupled to the conductive structure(s) 126 thereof. Each of the tiers 108 including one or more of the conductive contact structures 134 coupled to the conductive structure(s) 126 thereof may include a single (e.g., only one) conductive contact structure 134 coupled to the conductive structure(s) 126 thereof, or may include multiple (e.g., more than one) conductive contact structures 134 coupled thereto. As a non-limiting example, as shown in FIG. 1F, in embodiments wherein each of the tiers 108 includes multiple conductive structures 126 (e.g., multiple conductive structures 126 laterally isolated from one another by the remaining portion 128 of one of the additional insulating structures 106 (FIG. 1D)), each conductive structure 126 of a given tier 108 may have at least one of the conductive contact structures 134 coupled thereto at one or more of the steps 116 (e.g., one or more of the steps 116 of the first stadium structure 118 a, one or more of the steps 116 of the second stadium structure 118 b) at least partially defined by the conductive structure 126. As another non-limiting example, in embodiments wherein each of the tiers 108 includes a single (e.g., only one) conductive structure 126, the single conductive structure 126 may have at least one of the conductive contact structures 134 coupled thereto at one or more of the steps 116 at least partially defined by the single conductive structure 126.

The conductive contact structures 134 may be formed on or over a single (e.g., only one) staircase structure 114 of the conductive stack structure 124, or may be formed on or over multiple (e.g., more than one) staircase structures 114 of the conductive stack structure 124. By way of non-limiting example, as shown in FIGS. 1F and 1G, within at least one of the stadium structures 118 (e.g., at least one of the first stadium structure 118 a and the second stadium structure 118 b) of the conductive stack structure 124, a portion of the conductive contact structures 134 may be formed on or over a forward staircase structure (e.g., the first forward staircase structure 114 a, the second forward staircase structure 114 c) and an additional portion of the conductive contact structures 134 may be formed on or over a reverse staircase structure (e.g., the first reverse staircase structure 114 b, the second reverse staircase structure 114 d). In additional embodiments, within at least one of the stadium structures 118, each of the conductive contact structures 134 may be formed on or over a forward staircase structure (e.g., the first forward staircase structure 114 a, the second forward staircase structure 114 c). In further embodiments, within at least one of the stadium structures 118, each of the conductive contact structures 134 may be formed on or over a reverse staircase structure (e.g., the first reverse staircase structure 114 b, the second reverse staircase structure 114 d).

Conductive contact structures 134 formed on or over the same staircase structure 114 (e.g., one of the first forward staircase structure 114 a, the first reverse staircase structure 114 b, the second forward staircase structure 114 c, and the second reverse staircase structure 114 d) may be substantially uniformly (e.g., evenly) spaced apart from one another, or may be non-uniformly (e.g., unevenly) spaced apart from one another. Conductive contact structures 134 formed on or over the same staircase structure 114 may be formed to be generally centrally positioned (e.g., in at least the X-direction) on or over the steps 116 associated therewith. Accordingly, distances between adjacent conductive contact structures 134 located on or over the same staircase structure 114 may vary in accordance with variance in the lengths (e.g., in the X-direction) of the adjacent steps 116 associated with the adjacent conductive contact structures 134. In addition, conductive contact structures 134 formed on or over the same staircase structure 114 may be substantially aligned with one another (e.g., not offset from one another in the Y-direction), or may be at least partially non-aligned with one another (e.g., offset from one another in the Y-direction).

The conductive contact structures 134 may be formed of and include at least one conductive material, such as a metal (e.g., tungsten, titanium, molybdenum, niobium, vanadium, hafnium, tantalum, chromium, zirconium, iron, ruthenium, osmium, cobalt, rhodium, iridium, nickel, palladium, platinum, copper, silver, gold, aluminum), a metal alloy (e.g., a cobalt-based alloy, an iron-based alloy, a nickel-based alloy, an iron- and nickel-based alloy, a cobalt- and nickel-based alloy, an iron- and cobalt-based alloy, a cobalt- and nickel- and iron-based alloy, an aluminum-based alloy, a copper-based alloy, a magnesium-based alloy, a titanium-based alloy, a steel, a low-carbon steel, a stainless steel), a conductive metal-containing material (e.g., a conductive metal nitride, a conductive metal silicide, a conductive metal carbide, a conductive metal oxide), a conductively-doped semiconductor material (e.g., conductively-doped silicon, conductively-doped germanium, conductively-doped silicon germanium), or combinations thereof. Each of the conductive contact structures 134 may have substantially the same material composition, or at least one of the conductive contact structures 134 may have a different material composition than at least one other of the conductive contact structures 134.

With continued reference to FIG. 1F, the conductive routing structures 136 may be coupled (e.g., attached, connected) to the conductive contact structures 134 and at least one string driver device 138. The string driver device 138 may be formed of and include a plurality of switching devices (e.g., transistors). Suitable designs and configurations for the at least one string driver device 138 are well known in the art, and are therefore not described in detail herein. The string driver device 138 may, for example, underlie one or more portions (e.g., central portions, peripheral portions, combinations thereof) of the conductive stack structure 124. The combination of the conductive contact structures 134 and the conductive routing structures 136 may electrically connect the conductive structures 126 of one or more of the tiers 108 to the string driver device 138, facilitating application of voltages to the conductive structures 126 using the string driver device 138. The continuous conductive paths across the conductive stack structure 124 (e.g., from the first end 130 to the second, opposing end 132) provided by the configurations of the conductive structures 126 may permit an individual (e.g., single) switching device (e.g., transistor) of the string driver device 138 to drive voltages completely across (e.g., from the first end 130 to the second, opposing end 132) and/or in opposing directions across (e.g., toward the first end 130 and toward the second, opposing end 132) an individual tier 108 electrically connected thereto.

The conductive routing structures 136 may extend from the conductive contact structures 134, over one or more sections of the conductive stack structure 124, through one or more additional sections of the conductive stack structure 124, and to one or more of the string driver devices 138. By way of non-limiting example, as shown in FIG. 1F, the conductive routing structures 136 may extend from conductive contact structures 134, laterally over the middle section 122 of the conductive stack structure 124, longitudinally through insulating sections of the tiers 108 including the remaining portions 128 of the additional insulating structures 106 (FIG. 1D) and portions of the insulating structures 104, and to one or more of the string driver devices 138. In addition, each of the conductive routing structures 136 may extend to the same string driver device 138, or at least one of the conductive routing structures 136 may extend to a different string driver device 138 than at least one other of the conductive routing structures 136.

The conductive routing structures 136 may be formed of and include at least one conductive material, such as a metal (e.g., W, Ti, Mo, Nb, V, Hf, Ta, Cr, Zr, Fe, Ru, Os, Co, Rh, Ir, Ni, Pd, Pt, Cu, Ag, Au, Al), a metal alloy (e.g., a Co-based alloy, an Fe-based alloy, a Ni-based alloy, an Fe- and Ni-based alloy, a Co- and Ni-based alloy, an Fe- and Cu-based alloy, a Co- and Ni- and Fe-based alloy, an Al-based alloy, a Cu-based alloy, a Mg-based alloy, a Ti-based alloy, a steel, a low-carbon steel, a stainless steel), a conductive metal-containing material (e.g., a conductive metal nitride, a conductive metal silicide, a conductive metal carbide, a conductive metal oxide), a conductively-doped semiconductor material (e.g., conductively-doped silicon, conductively-doped germanium, conductively-doped silicon germanium), or combinations thereof. Each of the conductive routing structures 136 may have substantially the same material composition, or at least one of the conductive routing structures 136 may have a different material composition than at least one other of the conductive routing structures 136.

The conductive contact structures 134, the conductive routing structures 136, and the string driver devices 138 may each independently be formed using conventional processes (e.g., conventional deposition processes, conventional photolithography processes, conventional material removal processes) and conventional processing equipment, which are not described in detail herein.

Thus, in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure, a method of forming a semiconductor device structure comprises forming a stack structure comprising stacked tiers each comprising an insulating structure and an additional insulating structure longitudinally adjacent the insulating structure. A masking structure is formed over a portion of the stack structure. Portions of the stacked tiers of the stack structure not covered by the masking structure are removed to form at least one staircase structure having steps comprising lateral ends of the stacked tiers. The masking structure is removed after forming the at least one staircase structure. At least one opening is formed laterally inward of the at least one staircase structure, the at least one opening extending through the stacked tiers and continuously across an entire length of the at least one staircase structure. Portions of the additional insulating structure of each of the stacked tiers are replaced with at least one conductive material to form at least one conductive structure in each of the stacked tiers, the at least one conductive structure extending continuously from at least one of the steps of the at least one staircase structure and around the at least one opening to form at least one continuous conductive path extending completely across each of the stacked tiers.

In addition, in accordance with additional embodiments of the disclosure, a semiconductor device structure comprises stacked tiers each comprising at least one conductive structure and at least one insulating structure longitudinally adjacent the at least one conductive structure, at least one staircase structure having steps comprising lateral ends of the stacked tiers, and at least one opening extending through the stacked tiers and continuously across an entire length of the at least one staircase structure. The at least one conductive structure of each of the stacked tiers extends continuously from at least one of the steps of the at least one staircase structure and around the at least one opening to form at least one continuous conductive path extending completely across each of the stacked tiers.

One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that, in accordance with additional embodiments of the disclosure, the features and feature configurations described above in relation to FIGS. 1A-1G may be readily adapted to the design needs of different semiconductor devices (e.g., different memory devices, such as different 3D NAND Flash memory devices). By way of non-limiting example, FIG. 2 illustrates a semiconductor device structure 200 in accordance with another embodiment of the disclosure. The semiconductor device structure 200 may have similar features and functionalities to the semiconductor device structure 100 previously described. However, the semiconductor device structure 200 may, for example, include a relatively greater number of tiers 208, as well one or more additional features (e.g., additional openings, additional staircase structures, additional conductive contact structures, additional conductive routing structures) and/or feature configurations (e.g., sizes, shapes, arrangements) to account for the relatively greater number of tiers 208. To avoid repetition, not all features shown in FIG. 2 are described in detail herein. Rather, unless described otherwise below, features designated by a reference numeral that is a 100 increment of the reference numeral of a feature described previously in relation to one or more of FIGS. 1A-1G will be understood to be substantially similar to the feature described previously.

As shown in FIG. 2, the semiconductor device structure 200 may include a conductive stack structure 224 exhibiting alternating insulating structures and conductive structures 226 arranged in tiers 208. For clarity, the insulating structures of each of the tiers 208 are not depicted FIG. 2. However, aside from variances in shape and size, the insulating structures of the conductive stack structure 224 may be substantially similar to, and may be formed and arranged in substantially the same manner as, the insulating structures 104 previously described in relation to the conductive stack structure 124. The conductive stack structure 224 may include a greater number of tiers 208 than the number of the tiers 108 included in the conductive stack structure 124 of the semiconductor device structure 100 previously described in relation to FIGS. 1F and 1G. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the conductive stack structure 224 may include twenty-one (21) tiers 208. In additional embodiments, the conductive stack structure 224 may include a different number of the tiers 208, such as greater than twenty-one (21) tiers 208 or less than twenty-one (21) tiers 208.

The conductive stack structure 224 may include staircase structures 214, and openings 220 positioned laterally inward (e.g., in the Y-direction) of the staircase structures 214. In FIG. 2, for clarity in identifying the positions and dimensions of the openings 220, each of the openings 220 is depicted as being filled with a structure. However, the openings 220 may be substantially free of such structures (e.g., the structures may be absent from the openings 220). Alternatively, one or more of the openings 220 may comprise filled openings including the depicted structures therein. The structures may, for example, comprise insulating structures formed of and including at least one insulating material (e.g., an oxide material, such as silicon dioxide, phosphosilicate glass, borosilicate glass, borophosphosilicate glass, fluorosilicate glass, titanium dioxide, zirconium dioxide, hafnium dioxide, tantalum oxide, magnesium oxide, aluminum oxide, or combinations thereof; a nitride material, such as silicon nitride; an oxynitride material, such as silicon oxynitride; amphorous carbon).

As shown in FIG. 2, the conductive stack structure 224 includes multiple (e.g., more than one) staircase structures 214. The conductive stack structure 224 may, for example, include multiple stadium structures 218 each including opposing staircase structures 214. The multiple stadium structures 218 may be positioned in series and in parallel with one another. By way of non-limiting example, as shown in FIG. 2, the conductive stack structure 224 may include a first stadium structure 218 a, a second stadium structure 218 b, a third stadium structure 218 c, and a fourth stadium structure 218 d. The first stadium structure 218 a may include a first forward staircase structure 214 a, and a first reverse staircase structure 214 b that mirrors the first forward staircase structure 214 a. The second stadium structure 218 b may extend parallel (e.g., in the X-direction) to the first stadium structure 218 a, and may include a second forward staircase structure 214 c, and a second reverse staircase structure 214 d that mirrors the second forward staircase structure 214 c. The third stadium structure 218 c may extend in series (e.g., in the X-direction) to the first stadium structure 218 a, and may include a third forward staircase structure 214 e, and a third reverse staircase structure 214 f that mirrors the third forward staircase structure 214 e. The fourth stadium structure 218 d may extend in parallel (in the X-direction) with the third stadium structure 218 c and in series (e.g., in the X-direction) to the second stadium structure 218 b, and may include a fourth forward staircase structure 214 g, and a fourth reverse staircase structure 214 h that mirrors the fourth forward staircase structure 214 g. The first stadium structure 218 a and the second stadium structure 218 b may be at least partially defined by ends of an upper group 209 a of the tiers 208 (e.g., tiers 208 positioned relatively higher in the Z-direction), and may serve as redundant and/or alternative means of connecting to the tiers 208 of the upper group 209 a. The third stadium structure 218 c and the fourth stadium structure 218 d may be at least partially defined by ends of a lower group 209 b of the tiers 208 (e.g., tiers 208 positioned relatively lower in the Z-direction), and may serve as redundant and/or alternative means of connecting to the tiers 208 of the lower group 209 b.

In additional embodiments, the conductive stack structure 224 may exhibit one or more of a different number and different configuration of the staircase structures 214. By way of non-limiting example, the conductive stack structure 224 may include only one (1) stadium structure 218 (e.g., only the first stadium structure 218 a, or only the second stadium structure 218 b) associated with (e.g., at least partially defined by ends of) the upper group 209 a of the tiers 208, may include only one (1) stadium structure 218 (e.g., only the third stadium structure 218 c, or only the fourth stadium structure 218 d) associated with the lower group 209 b of the tiers 208, may include more than two (2) stadium structures 218 in parallel with one another and associated with the upper group 209 a of the tiers 208, may include more than two (2) stadium structures 218 in parallel with one another and associated with the lower group 209 b of the tiers 208, may include additional stadium structures 218 in series with the first stadium structure 218 a and the third stadium structure 218 c, may include additional stadium structures 218 in series with the second stadium structure 218 b and the fourth stadium structure 218 d, may include one or more forward staircase structures (e.g., one or more of the first forward staircase structure 214 a, the second forward staircase structure 214 c, the third forward staircase structure 214 e, and the fourth forward staircase structure 214 g) but not one or more reverse staircase structures (e.g., one or more of the first reverse staircase structure 214 b, the second reverse staircase structure 214 d, the third reverse staircase structure 214 f, and the fourth reverse staircase structure 214 h may be omitted), and/or may include one or more reverse staircase structures (e.g., one or more of the first reverse staircase structure 214 b, the second reverse staircase structure 214 d, the third reverse staircase structure 214 f, and the fourth reverse staircase structure 214 h) but not one or more forward staircase structures (e.g., one or more of the first forward staircase structure 214 a, the second forward staircase structure 214 c, the third forward staircase structure 214 e, and the fourth forward staircase structure 214 g may be omitted).

As shown in FIG. 2, the openings 220 may longitudinally extend (e.g., in the Z-direction) through the conductive stack structure 224, may be positioned laterally inward (e.g., in the Y-direction) of the staircase structures 214, and may continuously laterally extend (e.g., in the X-direction) across entire lengths of the staircase structures 214. By way of non-limiting example, as shown in FIG. 2, the openings 220 may extend completely through each of the tiers 208, may be positioned laterally inwardly adjacent the stadium structures 218, and may continuously laterally extend across entire lengths of the stadium structures 218. A first opening 220 a may be positioned laterally between (e.g., in the Y-direction) the first stadium structure 218 a and a middle section 222 of the conductive stack structure 224, and may laterally extend (e.g., in the X-direction) from a top of the first forward staircase structure 214 a to a top of the first reverse staircase structure 214 b. A second opening 220 b may be positioned laterally between (e.g., in the Y-direction) the second stadium structure 218 b and the middle section 222 of the conductive stack structure 224, and may laterally extend parallel (e.g., in the X-direction) to the first opening 220 a from a top of the second forward staircase structure 214 c to a top of the second reverse staircase structure 214 d. A third opening 220 c may be positioned laterally between (e.g., in the Y-direction) the third stadium structure 218 c and the middle section 222 of the conductive stack structure 224, and may laterally extend (e.g., in the X-direction) from a top of the third forward staircase structure 214 e to a top of the third reverse staircase structure 214 f. A fourth opening 220 d may be positioned laterally between (e.g., in the Y-direction) the fourth stadium structure 218 d and the middle section 222 of the conductive stack structure 224, and may laterally extend parallel (e.g., in the X-direction) to the third opening 220 c from a top of the fourth forward staircase structure 214 g to a top of the fourth reverse staircase structure 214 h.

In additional embodiments, the conductive stack structure 224 may include a different number of the openings 220. By way of non-limiting example, at least one additional opening may be formed in the middle section 222 of the conductive stack structure 224. The at least one additional opening may, for example, comprise a fifth opening positioned laterally between the first opening 220 a and the second opening 220 b and having substantially the same length as the first opening 220 a and the second opening 220 b, and/or may comprise a sixth opening positioned laterally between the third opening 220 c and the fourth opening 220 d and having substantially the same length as the third opening 220 c and the fourth opening 220 d. The at least one additional opening may extend completely longitudinally through the middle section 222 of the conductive stack structure 224, and may continuously laterally extend across the middle section 222 in parallel to the other openings 220.

As shown in FIG. 2, the conductive structures 226 may follow (e.g., route along) lateral (e.g., side) surfaces of the conductive stack structure 224. For example, the conductive structures 226 may extend into and along outer lateral surfaces (e.g., peripheral lateral surfaces) of the tiers 208, as well as into and along inner lateral surfaces of the tiers 208 (e.g., lateral surfaces at least partially defined by the openings 220 longitudinally extending through the tiers 208). For each of the tiers 208, the conductive structures 226 may laterally extend to and around each of the openings 220 (e.g., completely around ends of the openings 220, and completely across the portions of the middle section 222 of the conductive stack structure 224 adjacent the openings 220) to form one or more continuous conductive paths between a first end 230 of the conductive stack structure 224 and a second, opposing end 232 of the conductive stack structure 224. The first end 230 and the second, opposing end 232 of the conductive stack structure 224 may each be coupled to other components of a semiconductor device (e.g., a memory device) including the semiconductor device structure 200, such as one or more memory cell arrays (e.g., vertical memory cell arrays). In addition, portions of at least some of the conductive structures 226 may laterally extend (e.g., in the X-direction) to and at least partially define the staircase structures 214 of the conductive stack structure 224 to form conductive contact regions (e.g., landing pad regions) for at least some of the tiers 208. For example, portions of at least some of the conductive structures 226 of the upper group 209 a of the tiers 208 may extend to at least partially define the first stadium structure 218 a and the second stadium structure 218 b, and portions of at least some of the conductive structures 226 of the lower group 209 b of the tiers 208 may extend to at least partially define the third stadium structure 218 c and the fourth stadium structure 218 d. For each of the conductive structures 226, portions thereof laterally extending to and at least partially defining one or more of the staircase structures 214 may be integral and continuous with other portions thereof laterally extending to and around the openings 220 positioned laterally inward of (e.g., laterally adjacent) the staircase structures 214. Each of the tiers 208 may include multiple (e.g., more than one) conductive structures 226, or may include a single (e.g., only one) conductive structure 226.

With continued reference to FIG. 2, conductive contact structures 234 (e.g., conductive plugs, conductive vertical interconnects) may be coupled (e.g., attached, connected) to the conductive structures 226 of the tiers 208 at one or more of the staircase structures 214, and conductive routing structures 236 (e.g., conductive interconnects, conductive bridges) may be coupled to the conductive contact structures 234 and to one or more string driver devices 238. The string driver devices 238 may be formed of and include a plurality of switching devices (e.g., transistors). Suitable designs and configurations for the string driver devices 238 are well known in the art, and are therefore not described in detail herein. The string driver devices 238 may, for example, underlie one or more portions (e.g., central portions, peripheral portions, combinations thereof) of the conductive stack structure 224.

The conductive contact structures 234 and the conductive routing structures 236 may electrically connect the conductive structures 226 of the tiers 208 to the string driver devices 238. By way of non-limiting example, as shown in FIG. 2, a portion of the conductive contact structures 234 and the conductive routing structures 236 may electrically connect the upper group 209 a of the tiers 208 to one or more of the string driver devices 238 at one or more of the staircase structures 214, and another portion of the conductive contact structures 234 and the conductive routing structures 236 may electrically connect the lower group 209 b of the tiers 208 to one or more of the string driver devices 238 at one or more other of the staircase structures 214. A portion of the conductive contact structures 234 and the conductive routing structures 236 may be coupled to and extend between at least one of the string driver devices 238 and steps 216 of one or more of the first stadium structure 218 a (e.g., steps 216 of the first forward staircase structure 214 a, and/or steps 216 of the first reverse staircase structure 214 b) and the second stadium structure 218 b (e.g., steps 216 of the second forward staircase structure 214 c and/or steps 216 of the second reverse staircase structure 214 d) to electrically connect the conductive structures 226 of at least some of the upper group 209 a of the tiers 208 to the string driver device 238. In addition, another portion of the conductive contact structures 234 and the conductive routing structures 236 may be coupled to and extend between at least one string driver device 238 and steps 216 of one or more of the third stadium structure 218 c (e.g., steps 216 of the third forward staircase structure 214 e, and/or steps 216 of the third reverse staircase structure 214 f) and the fourth stadium structure 218 d (e.g., steps 216 of the fourth forward staircase structure 214 g, and/or steps 216 of the fourth reverse staircase structure 214 h) to electrically connect the conductive structures 226 of at least some of the lower group 209 b of the tiers 208 to the string driver device 238. The continuous conductive paths across the conductive stack structure 224 (e.g., from the first end 230 to the second, opposing end 232) provided by the configurations of the conductive structures 226 may permit an individual (e.g., single) switching device (e.g., transistor) of the string driver device 238 to drive voltages completely across (e.g., from the first end 230 to the second, opposing end 232) and/or in opposing directions across (e.g., toward the first end 230 and toward the second, opposing end 232) an individual tier 208 electrically connected thereto.

FIGS. 3A through 3F are simplified perspective (FIGS. 3A through 3E) and top-down (FIG. 3F) views illustrating embodiments of a method of forming another semiconductor device structure including a staircase structure, such as a memory array structure (e.g., a memory array block) for a 3D non-volatile memory device (e.g., a 3D NAND Flash memory device). With the description provided below, it will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the methods described herein may be used in various devices. In other words, the methods of the disclosure may be used whenever it is desired to form a semiconductor device including a staircase structure.

Referring to FIG. 3A, a semiconductor device structure 300 may include a stack structure 302 exhibiting an alternating sequence of insulating structures 304 and additional insulating structures 306 arranged in tiers 308. Each of the tiers 308 may include one of the insulating structures 304 and one of the additional insulating structures 306. The stack structure 302, including the tiers 308 of the insulating structures 304 and the additional insulating structures 306, may be substantially similar to and may be formed in substantially the same manner as the stack structure 102 previously described herein with reference to FIG. 1A. As shown in FIG. 3A, in some embodiments, the alternating sequence of the insulating structures 304 and the additional insulating structures 306 begins with one of the insulating structures 304. In additional embodiments, the arrangement of the insulating structures 304 and the additional insulating structures 306 is switched relative to that depicted in FIG. 3A (e.g., the alternating sequence of the insulating structures 304 and the additional insulating structures 306 begins with one of the additional insulating structures 306).

Referring to next to FIG. 3B, portions of the stack structure 302 (FIG. 3A) (e.g., portions of one or more of the tiers 308) may be subjected to at least one material removal process (e.g., one or more of a trimming process and a chopping process) to form a modified stack structure 310. The modified stack structure 310 may include one or more staircase structures 312 each independently formed of and including one or more steps 314. The steps 314 of the one or more staircase structures 312 may be at least partially defined by exposed portions of one or more of the tiers 308 remaining following the at least one material removal process.

The modified stack structure 310 may include a single (e.g., only one) staircase structure 312, or may include multiple (e.g., more than one) staircase structures 312. In some embodiments, the modified stack structure 310 includes multiple staircase structures 312. By way of non-limiting example, as shown in FIG. 3B, the modified stack structure 310 may include a stadium structure 316 including a forward staircase structure 312 a, and a reverse staircase structure 312 b that mirrors the forward staircase structure 312 a. In additional embodiments, the modified stack structure 310 may exhibit one or more of a different number and different configuration of staircase structures 312. By way of non-limiting example, the modified stack structure 310 may include two or more stadium structures 316 in series with one another, may include one or more forward staircase structures (e.g., the forward staircase structure 312 a) but not one or more reverse staircase structures (e.g., the reverse staircase structure 312 b may be omitted), may include one or more reverse staircase structures (e.g., reverse staircase structure 312 b) but not one or more forward staircase structures (e.g., the forward staircase structure 312 a may be omitted), may include two or more forward staircase structures in series with one another, and/or may include two or more reverse staircase structures in series with one another.

Each of the staircase structures 312 included in the modified stack structure 310 may independently include a desired number of steps 314. The number of steps 314 included in each of the staircase structures 312 may be substantially the same as (e.g., equal to) or may be different than (e.g., less than, or greater than) the number of tiers 308 in the modified stack structure 310. In some embodiments, the number of steps 314 included in each of the staircase structures 312 is less than the number of tiers 308 in the modified stack structure 310. As a non-limiting example, as shown in FIG. 3B, each of the staircase structures 312 (e.g., the forward staircase structure 312 a and the reverse staircase structure 312 b) may include ten (10) steps 314 at least partially defined by ends of the eleven (11) tiers 308 (e.g., tiers 308 a through 308 k) of the modified stack structure 310. In additional embodiments, one or more of the staircase structures 312 may include a different number of steps 314 (e.g., less than ten (10) steps, greater than ten (10) steps). As a non-limiting example, if the modified stack structure 310 includes eleven (11) tiers 308, at least one of the staircase structures 312 may include five (5) steps 314 at least partially defined by ends of a relatively lower group of the tiers 308 (e.g., tier 308 f through tier 308 k), and at least one other of the staircase structures 312 may include five (5) steps 314 at least partially defined by ends of a relatively higher group of the tiers 308 (e.g., tiers 308 a through 308 e).

The dimensions of each of the steps 314 may independently be tailored to desired dimensions and positions of additional structures (e.g., conductive structures, conductive contact structures) and/or openings (e.g., slots) to be formed in, on, over, and/or adjacent to the steps 314 during subsequent processing of the semiconductor device structure 300, as described in further detail below. As shown in FIG. 3B, each of the steps 314 may exhibit substantially the same width W₃ as the modified stack structure 310. In addition, each of the steps 314 may exhibit substantially the same length, or at least one of the steps 314 may exhibit a different length than at least one other of the steps 314.

The staircase structures 312 may be formed using conventional processes (e.g., conventional photolithography processes, conventional material removal processes) and conventional processing equipment, which are not described in detail herein. By way of non-limiting example, a photoresist structure may be formed on or over the stack structure 302 (FIG. 3A), the photoresist structure may be photolithographically processed (e.g., photoexposed and developed) to remove at least one width thereof, one or more of the tiers 308 may be etched (e.g., anisotropically etched, such as anisotropically dry etched) using the remaining portions of the photoresist structure as an etching mask, the photoresist structure may be subjected to additional photolithographic processing to remove at least one additional width thereof, at least another group of the tiers 308 (e.g., the previously etched tier(s) 308 and one or more additional tier(s) 308) may be etched using the new remaining portions of the photoresist structure as etching masks, and so on, until the modified stack structure 310 including the one or more staircase structures 312 is formed.

Referring next to FIG. 3C, one or more openings 318 (e.g., slots, apertures, slits) may be formed in the modified stack structure 310. The openings 318 may extend through (e.g., completely through) the modified stack structure 310, and may divide (e.g., segment) the staircase structures 312 (FIG. 3B) into additional staircase structures 320 exhibiting relatively smaller widths than the staircase structures 312. The one or more openings 318 may laterally intervene (e.g., in the Y-direction) between the additional staircase structures 320 and may continuously laterally extend (e.g., in the X-direction) across the entire lengths of the additional staircase structures 320.

Any desired number (e.g., quantity, amount) of openings 318 may be formed in the modified stack structure 310. The number of openings 318 may correspond to desired numbers and configurations (e.g., shapes, sizes, positions) of the additional staircase structures 320. A single (e.g., only one) opening 318 may be formed longitudinally through (e.g., in the Z-direction) and may extend continuously laterally across and between (e.g., in the X-direction) the staircase structures 312 (FIG. 3B) (e.g., the forward staircase structure 312 a and the reverse staircase structure 312 b of the stadium structure 316) of the modified stack structure 310, or multiple (e.g., more than one) openings 318 may be formed longitudinally through and may extend continuously laterally in parallel across and between the staircase structures 312 of the modified stack structure 310. As shown in FIG. 3C, in some embodiments, three (3) openings 318 are formed in the modified stack structure 310. The three (3) openings 318 may at least partially define and separate (e.g., in the Y-direction) four (4) additional stadium structures 322. A first opening 318 a may be laterally disposed between a first additional stadium structure 322 a and a second additional stadium structure 322 b, a second opening 318 b may be laterally disposed between the second additional stadium structure 322 b and a third additional stadium structure 322 c, and a third opening 318 c may be laterally disposed between the third additional stadium structure 322 c and a fourth additional stadium structure 322 d. The first additional stadium structure 322 a may include a first forward staircase structure 320 a and a first reverse staircase structure 320 b. The second additional stadium structure 322 b may include a second forward staircase structure 320 c and a second reverse staircase structure 320 d. The third additional stadium structure 322 c may include a third forward staircase structure 320 e and a third reverse staircase structure 320 f. The fourth additional stadium structure 322 d may include a fourth forward staircase structure 320 g and a fourth reverse staircase structure 320 h. In additional embodiments, a different number of openings 318 (e.g., less than three (3) openings 318, or more than three (3) openings 318) may be formed longitudinally through and continuously laterally across and between the staircase structures 312 (FIG. 3B). By way of non-limiting example, two (2) openings 318 may be formed in the modified stack structure 310 to at least partially define and separate three (3) additional stadium structures 322, or one (1) opening 318 may be formed in the modified stack structure 310 to at least partially define and separate two (2) additional stadium structures 322.

The dimensions and spacing of the one or more openings 318 may be selected to provide desired dimensions (e.g., widths) to the additional staircase structures 320 (including steps 324 thereof), and to provide desired dimensions (e.g., widths) and spacing to conductive structures to be formed using the openings 318, as described in further detail below. If more than one opening 318 is formed in the modified stack structure 310, each of the openings 318 may exhibit substantially the same dimensions (e.g., substantially the same width, length, and height), or at least one of the openings 318 may exhibit one or more different dimensions (e.g., a different width, a different length, and/or a different height) than at least one other of the openings 318. In some embodiments, each of the openings 318 exhibits substantially the same dimensions. In addition, if more than two (2) openings 318 are formed in the modified stack structure 310, adjacent openings 318 may be substantially uniformly (e.g., evenly) spaced apart from one another, or may be non-uniformly (non-evenly) spaced apart from one another. In some embodiments, adjacent openings 318 are substantially uniformly spaced apart from one another. The openings 318 may be symmetrically distributed across the modified stack structure 310, or may be asymmetrically distributed across the modified stack structure 310.

The openings 318 may be formed in the modified stack structure 310 using one or more conventional material removal processes, which are not described in detail herein. For example, one or more portions of the modified stack structure 310 may be subjected to at least one etching process (e.g., at least one dry etching process, such as at least one of an RIE process, a deep RIE process, a plasma etching process, a reactive ion beam etching process, and a chemically assisted ion beam etching process; at least one wet etching process, such as at least one of a hydrofluoric acid etching process, a buffered hydrofluoric acid etching process, and a buffered oxide etching process) to form the openings 318 in the modified stack structure 310.

Referring to FIG. 3D, portions of the additional insulating structures 306 (FIG. 3C) may be selectively removed, and may be replaced with conductive material to form a conductive stack structure 326. As shown in FIG. 3D, each of the tiers 308 of the conductive stack structure 326 may include one or more conductive structures 328 (e.g., conductive gates, conductive plates) extending (e.g., in the X-direction and/or the Y-direction) into lateral surfaces thereof. The one or more conductive structures 328 of each tier 308 of the conductive stack structure 326 may at least partially (e.g., substantially) laterally surround remaining portions 330 (e.g., unremoved portions) of the additional insulating structures 306.

The conductive structures 328 may follow (e.g., route along) lateral (e.g., side) surfaces of the conductive stack structure 326. For example, the conductive structures 328 may extend into and along outer lateral surfaces (e.g., peripheral lateral surfaces) of the tiers 308, as well as into and along inner lateral surfaces of the tiers 308 (e.g., lateral surfaces at least partially defined by the openings 318 longitudinally extending through the tiers 308). Portions of at least some of the conductive structures 328 may laterally extend (e.g., in the X-direction) to and at least partially define the additional staircase structures 320 of the conductive stack structure 326 to form conductive contact regions (e.g., landing pad regions) for at least some of the tiers 308. In addition, in tiers 308 longitudinally below the additional staircase structures 320 (e.g., untrimmed tiers 308 and/or unchopped tiers 308), the conductive structures 328 thereof may laterally extend to and may completely surround the openings 318 to form one or more continuous conductive paths between a first end 332 of the conductive stack structure 326 and a second, opposing end 334 of the conductive stack structure 326. The first end 332 and the second, opposing end 334 of the conductive stack structure 326 may each be coupled to other components of a semiconductor device (e.g., a memory device) including the semiconductor device structure 300, such as one or more memory cell arrays (e.g., vertical memory cell arrays).

As shown in FIG. 3D, the conductive stack structure 326 may include multiple (e.g., more than one) conductive structures 328 in each of the tiers 308 defining the additional staircase structures 320. For example, for each of the tiers 308 defining the additional stadium structures 322, at least one conductive structure 328 may at least partially define the steps 324 of each of the forward staircase structures (e.g., each of the first forward staircase structure 320 a, the second forward staircase structure 320 c, the third forward staircase structure 320 e, and the fourth forward staircase structure 320 g), and at least one other conductive structure 328 may at least partially define the steps 324 of each of the reverse staircase structures (e.g., each of the first reverse staircase structure 320 b, the second reverse staircase structure 320 d, the third reverse staircase structure 320 f, and the fourth reverse staircase structure 320 h). The conductive structure 328 at least partially defining the steps 324 of each of the forward staircase structures may extend laterally inward from the first end 332 of the conductive stack structure 326, and may partially surround sides of each of the openings 318 (e.g., the first opening 318 a, the second opening 318 b, and the third opening 318 c). The other conductive structure 328 at least partially defining the steps 324 of each of the reverse staircase structures may extend laterally inward from the second, opposing end 334 of the conductive stack structure 326, and may also partially surround sides of each of the openings 318. In some embodiments, for each of the tiers 308 defining the additional staircase structures 320, a single (e.g., only one) conductive structure 328 extends laterally inward from the first end 332 of the conductive stack structure 326, and a single (e.g., only one) other conductive structure 328 extends laterally inward from the second, opposing end 334 of the conductive stack structure 326. In additional embodiments, for one or more of the tiers 308 defining the additional staircase structures 320, multiple (e.g., more than one) conductive structures 328 extend laterally inward from the first end 332 of the conductive stack structure 326, and/or multiple other conductive structures 328 extend laterally inward from the second, opposing end 334 of the conductive stack structure 326. By way of non-limiting example, in some embodiments wherein the second opening 318 b is omitted (e.g., absent), one or more of the tiers 308 may individually include at least two (2) of the conductive structures 328 extending laterally inward from the first end 332, and/or at least two (2) of the conductive structures 328 extending laterally inward from the second, opposing end 334. In such embodiments, the at least two (2) of the conductive structures 328 extending laterally inward from the first end 332 may be separated (e.g., isolated) from one another by a remaining portion of one of the additional insulating structures 306 (FIG. 3C), and/or the at least two (2) of the conductive structures 328 extending laterally inward from the second, opposing end 334 may be separated (e.g., isolated) from one another by a remaining portion of one of the additional insulating structures 306 (FIG. 3C).

For tiers 308 (e.g., untrimmed tiers 308 and/or unchopped tiers 308) longitudinally below those defining the additional staircase structures 320, each tier 308 may include a single (e.g., only one) conductive structure 328, or one or more tiers 308 may individually include multiple (e.g., more than one) conductive structures 328. In some embodiments, each of the tiers 308 longitudinally below those defining the additional staircase structures 320 includes a single conductive structure 328. The single conductive structure 328 may extend laterally inward from the first end 332 and the second, opposing end 334 of the conductive stack structure 326 along outer lateral surfaces of the conductive stack structure 326, and may substantially completely surround each of the openings 318 (e.g., each of the first opening 318 a, the second opening 318 b, and the third opening 318 c) to form a continuous conductive path extending from the first end 332 of the conductive stack structure 326 to the second, opposing end 334 of the of the conductive stack structure 326. In additional embodiments, one or more of the tiers 308 longitudinally below those defining the additional staircase structures 320 individually include multiple conductive structures 328. By way of non-limiting example, in some embodiments wherein the second opening 318 b is omitted (e.g., absent), one or more of the tiers 308 longitudinally below those defining the additional staircase structures 320 may individually include at least two (2) conductive structures 328 extending laterally inward from the first end 332 and the second, opposing end 334 of the conductive stack structure 326. In such embodiments, the at least two (2) conductive structures 328 may be separated (e.g., isolated) from one another by a remaining portion of one of the additional insulating structures 306 (FIG. 3C).

The dimensions and shapes of the conductive structures 328 may directly correspond to the dimensions and shapes of the removed portions of the additional insulating structures 306 (FIG. 3C). A width (e.g., lateral depth within the conductive stack structure 326) of each of the conductive structures 328 may be substantially uniform across the entire path (e.g., route) of the conductive structure 328, or the width of at least one of the conductive structures 328 may be substantially non-uniform (e.g., variable) across different portions of the path of the conductive structure 328. In some embodiments, portions of the conductive structures 328 laterally extending (e.g., in the X-direction) to and at least partially defining the additional staircase structures 320 may exhibit substantially the same width as other portions (e.g., insulating structure 304 portions) of the additional staircase structures 320. In addition, each of the conductive structures 328 may exhibit a different shape and at least one different dimension than each other of the conductive structures 328, or at least one of the conductive structures 328 may exhibit one or more of substantially the same shape and substantially the same dimensions as at least one other of the conductive structures 328. By way of non-limiting example, as shown in FIG. 3D, conductive structures 328 of different tiers 308 may exhibit different shapes and different dimensions (e.g., different lengths associated with the locations of the different steps 324 of the additional staircase structures 320) than one another, but conductive structures 328 within the same tier 308 may exhibit substantially the same shapes and substantially the same dimensions as one another (e.g., conductive structures 328 within the same tier 308 may be mirror images of one another). In additional embodiments, conductive structures 328 of two or more different tiers 308 may exhibit substantially the same shapes and substantially the same dimensions as one another. In further embodiments, conductive structures 328 within the same tier 308 may exhibit one or more of a different shape and at least one different dimension than one another.

The conductive structures 328 may be formed of and include at least one conductive material, such as a metal, a metal alloy, a conductive metal oxide, a conductive metal nitride, a conductive metal silicide, a conductively-doped semiconductor material, or combinations thereof. By way of non-limiting example, the conductive structures 328 may be formed of and include at least one of tungsten W, WN, Ni, Ta, TaN, TaSi, Pt, Cu, Ag, Au, Al, Mo, Ti, TiN, TiSi, TiSiN, TiAlN, MoN, Ir, IrOx, Ru, RuOx, and conductively-doped silicon. In some embodiments, the conductive structures 328 are formed of and include W.

The conductive structures 328 may be formed by selectively removing portions of the additional insulating structures 306 (FIG. 3C) relative to the insulating structures 304 to form recessed regions laterally extending into each of the tiers 308, and then at least partially (e.g., substantially) filling the recessed regions with at least one conductive material. The recessed regions may be formed by subjecting the modified stack structure 310 (FIG. 3C) to at least one etching processing (e.g., an isotropic etching process) employing an etch chemistry in which the insulative material of the additional insulating structures 306 is selectively removed relative to that of the insulating structures 304. By way of non-limiting example, if the insulating structures 304 are formed of and include silicon dioxide (SiO₂), and the additional insulating structures 306 are formed of and include silicon nitride (Si₃N₄), the modified stack structure 310 may be exposed to an etchant comprising phosphoric acid (H₃O₄P) to selectively remove portions of the additional insulating structures 306 adjacent exposed lateral surfaces (e.g., exposed outer lateral surfaces, exposed inner lateral surfaces at least partially defined by the openings 318) of the modified stack structure 310. Thereafter, the conductive material may be formed (e.g., delivered, deposited) within recessed regions to form the conductive structures 328.

In additional embodiments, rather than selectively removing and replacing portions of the additional insulating structures 306 (FIG. 3C) to form the conductive stack structure 326, portions of the insulating structures 304 may instead be selectively removed and replaced with a conductive material to form a conductive stack structure. Aside from the sequence (e.g., order) of the alternating conductive structures and insulating structures of such a conductive stack structure and differences (if any) associated with material properties of the insulating structures 304 as compared to those of the additional insulating structures 306, such a conductive stack structure may be substantially similar to and may have little or no difference in terms of functionality and/or operability as compared to the conductive stack structure 326 depicted in FIG. 3D.

Referring next to FIG. 3E, conductive contact structures 336 (e.g., conductive plugs, conductive vertical interconnects) may be formed on, over, and/or within the one or more of the additional staircase structures 320 of the conductive stack structure 326, conductive routing structures 338 (e.g., conductive interconnects, conductive bridges) may be formed on and between some of the conductive contact structures 336 to electrically connect separate (e.g., discrete, isolated) conductive structures 328 of one or more of the tiers 308, and additional conductive routing structures 340 may be formed on and between other of the conductive contact structures 336 and at least one string driver device 342 to electrically connect the conductive structures 328 of one or more of the tiers 308 to the string driver device 342. FIG. 3F is a top-down view of the semiconductor device structure 300 at the processing stage depicted in FIG. 3E.

The conductive contact structures 336 may be coupled to the conductive structures 328 of the tiers 308 of the conductive stack structure 326 at the steps 324 of the additional staircase structures 320. Each of the tiers 308 (e.g., each of the tiers 308 a through 308 k) may have one or more of the conductive contact structures 336 coupled to the conductive structures 328 thereof, or less than all of the tiers 308 (e.g., less than all of the tiers 308 a through 308 k, such as only tiers 308 b through 308 j) may have one or more of the conductive contact structures 336 coupled to the conductive structures 328 thereof.

As shown in FIG. 3E, each of the tiers 308 having conductive contact structures 336 coupled thereto may include at least two (2) first conductive contact structures 336 a positioned to electrically connect (with the use of at least one of the conductive routing structures 338) separate conductive structures 328 of the tier 308. For example, for each of the tiers 308 defining the additional stadium structures 322, at least one first conductive contact structure 336 a may be coupled to at least one conductive structure 328 of the tier 308 at a step 324 of at least one forward staircase structure (e.g., one or more of the first forward staircase structure 320 a, the second forward staircase structure 320 c, the third forward staircase structure 320 e, and the fourth forward staircase structure 320 g), and at least one additional first conductive contact structure 336 a may be coupled to at least one other conductive structure 328 of the tier 308 at a step 324 of at least one reverse staircase structure (e.g., one or more of the first reverse staircase structure 320 b, the second reverse staircase structure 320 d, the third reverse staircase structure 320 f, and the fourth reverse staircase structure 320 h). By way of non-limiting example, as depicted in FIG. 3E, for each of the tiers 308 defining the additional stadium structures 322, a first conductive contact structure 336 a may be coupled to a first conductive structure 328 of the tier 308 at a step 324 of the fourth forward staircase structure 320 g of the fourth additional stadium structure 322 d, and another first conductive contact structure 336 a may be coupled to a second conductive structure 328 of the tier 308 at a step 324 of the fourth reverse staircase structure 320 h of the fourth additional stadium structure 322 d.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 3E, each of the tiers 308 having conductive contact structures 336 coupled thereto may include one or more second conductive contact structures 336 b positioned to electrically connect (with the use of at least one of the additional conductive routing structures 340) the conductive structures 328 of the tier 308 to at least one of the string driver devices 342. For example, for each of the tiers 308 defining the additional stadium structures 322, at least one second conductive contact structure 336 b may be coupled to at least one conductive structure 328 of the tier 308 at a step 324 of at least one of the additional staircase structures 320 (e.g., one or more of the first forward staircase structure 320 a, the first reverse staircase structure 320 b, the second forward staircase structure 320 c, the second reverse staircase structure 320 d, the third forward staircase structure 320 e, the third reverse staircase structure 320 f, the fourth forward staircase structure 320 g, and the fourth reverse staircase structure 320 h). By way of non-limiting example, as depicted in FIG. 3E, for each of the tiers 308 defining the additional stadium structures 322, a second conductive contact structure 336 b may be coupled to at least one of the conductive structures 328 of the tier 308 at one or more of a step 324 of the first forward staircase structure 320 a of the first additional stadium structure 322 a and a step 324 of the first reverse staircase structure 320 b of the first additional stadium structure 322 a.

The second conductive contact structures 336 b may be formed on or over a single (e.g., only one) additional staircase structure 320 of the conductive stack structure 326, or may be formed on or over multiple (e.g., more than one) additional staircase structures 320 of the conductive stack structure 326. By way of non-limiting example, as shown in FIGS. 3E and 3F, within at least one of the additional stadium structures 322 (e.g., one or more of the first additional stadium structure 322 a, the second additional stadium structure 322 b, the third additional stadium structure 322 c, and the fourth additional stadium structure 322 d) of the conductive stack structure 326, a portion of the second conductive contact structures 336 b may be formed on or over a forward staircase structure (e.g., the first forward staircase structure 320 a, the second forward staircase structure 320 c, the third forward staircase structure 320 e, the fourth forward staircase structure 320 g) and an additional portion of the second conductive contact structures 336 b may be formed on or over a reverse staircase structure (e.g., the first reverse staircase structure 320 b, the second reverse staircase structure 320 d, the third reverse staircase structure 320 f, the fourth reverse staircase structure 320 h). In additional embodiments, within at least one of the additional stadium structures 322, each of the second conductive contact structures 336 b may be formed on or over a forward staircase structure (e.g., the first forward staircase structure 320 a, the second forward staircase structure 320 c, the third forward staircase structure 320 e, the fourth forward staircase structure 320 g). In further embodiments, within at least one of the additional stadium structures 322, each of the second conductive contact structures 336 b may be formed on or over a reverse staircase structure (e.g., the first reverse staircase structure 320 b, the second reverse staircase structure 320 d, the third reverse staircase structure 320 f, the fourth reverse staircase structure 320 h).

Conductive contact structures 336 (e.g., first conductive contact structures 336 a, second conductive contact structures 336 b) formed on or over the same additional staircase structure 320 may be substantially uniformly (e.g., evenly) spaced apart from one another, or may be non-uniformly (e.g., unevenly) spaced apart from one another. Conductive contact structures 336 formed on or over the same additional staircase structure 320 may be formed to be generally centrally positioned (e.g., in at least the X-direction) on or over the steps 324 associated therewith. Accordingly, distances between adjacent conductive contact structures 336 located on or over the same additional staircase structure 320 may vary in accordance with variance in the lengths (e.g., in the X-direction) of the adjacent steps 324 associated with the adjacent conductive contact structures 336. In addition, conductive contact structures 336 formed on or over the same additional staircase structure 320 may be substantially aligned with one another (e.g., not offset from one another in the Y-direction), or may be at least partially non-aligned with one another (e.g., offset from one another in the Y-direction).

The conductive contact structures 336 may be formed of and include at least one conductive material, such as a metal (e.g., tungsten, titanium, molybdenum, niobium, vanadium, hafnium, tantalum, chromium, zirconium, iron, ruthenium, osmium, cobalt, rhodium, iridium, nickel, palladium, platinum, copper, silver, gold, aluminum), a metal alloy (e.g., a cobalt-based alloy, an iron-based alloy, a nickel-based alloy, an iron- and nickel-based alloy, a cobalt- and nickel-based alloy, an iron- and cobalt-based alloy, a cobalt- and nickel- and iron-based alloy, an aluminum-based alloy, a copper-based alloy, a magnesium-based alloy, a titanium-based alloy, a steel, a low-carbon steel, a stainless steel), a conductive metal-containing material (e.g., a conductive metal nitride, a conductive metal silicide, a conductive metal carbide, a conductive metal oxide), a conductively-doped semiconductor material (e.g., conductively-doped silicon, conductively-doped germanium, conductively-doped silicon germanium), or combinations thereof. Each of the conductive contact structures 336 may have substantially the same material composition, or at least one of the conductive contact structures 336 may have a different material composition than at least one other of the conductive contact structures 336.

With continued reference to FIGS. 3E and 3F, the conductive routing structures 338 may be coupled (e.g., attached, connected) to and extend between portions of the conductive contact structures 336 (e.g., portions of the first conductive contact structures 336 a). The conductive routing structures 338 may form a conductive path between (e.g., electrically connect) electrically isolated conductive structures 328 of one or more of the tiers 308 (FIG. 3E) of the conductive stack structure 326. For example, for each of the tiers 308 defining the additional stadium structures 322, the combination of the first conductive contact structures 336 a and the conductive routing structures 338 may electrically connect at least one conductive structure 328 of the tier 308 located proximate the first end 332 of the conductive stack structure 326 to at least one other conductive structure 328 of the tier 308 located proximate the second, opposing end 334 of the conductive stack structure 326.

The conductive routing structures 338 may extend from a portion of the conductive contact structures 336 (e.g., a portion of the first conductive contact structures 336 a) located proximate the first end 332 of the conductive stack structure 326, over one or more sections of the conductive stack structure 326, and to other portions of the conductive contact structures 336 (e.g., another portion of the first conductive contact structures 336 a) located proximate the second, opposing end 334 of the conductive stack structure 326. For example, for each of the tiers 308 defining the additional stadium structures 322, at least one conductive routing structure 338 extends from at least one first conductive contact structure 336 a positioned on or over a step 324 of at least one forward staircase structure (e.g., one or more of the first forward staircase structure 320 a, the second forward staircase structure 320 c, the third forward staircase structure 320 e, and the fourth forward staircase structure 320 g) to at least one other first conductive contact structure 336 a positioned on or over a step 324 of at least one reverse staircase structure (e.g., one or more of the first reverse staircase structure 320 b, the second reverse staircase structure 320 d, the third reverse staircase structure 320 f, and the fourth reverse staircase structure 320 h). By way of non-limiting example, as shown in FIGS. 3E and 3F, for each of the tiers 308 defining the additional stadium structures 322, a conductive routing structure 338 may extend from a first conductive contact structure 336 a located on or over a step 324 of the fourth forward staircase structure 320 g of the fourth additional stadium structure 322 d to another first conductive contact structure 336 a located on or over a step 324 of the fourth reverse staircase structure 320 h of the fourth additional stadium structure 322 d.

With continued reference to FIG. 3E, the additional conductive routing structures 340 may be coupled (e.g., attached, connected) to portions of the conductive contact structures 336 (e.g., portions of the second conductive contact structures 336 b) and at least one string driver device 342. The string driver device 342 may be formed of and include a plurality of switching devices (e.g., transistors). Suitable designs and configurations for the string driver device 342 are well known in the art, and are therefore not described in detail herein. The string driver device 342 may, for example, underlie one or more portions (e.g., central portions, peripheral portions, combinations thereof) of the conductive stack structure 326. The combination of the conductive contact structures 336 (e.g., the first conductive contact structures 336 a and the second conductive contact structures 336 b), the conductive routing structures 338, and the additional conductive routing structures 340 may electrically connect the conductive structures 328 of one or more of the tiers 308 to the string driver device 342, facilitating application of voltages to the conductive structures 328 using the string driver device 342. The continuous conductive paths across the conductive stack structure 326 (e.g., from the first end 332 to the second, opposing end 334) provided by the configurations and positions of the conductive structures 328, the conductive contact structures 336 (e.g., the first conductive contact structures 336 a), and the conductive routing structures 338 may permit an individual (e.g., single) switching device (e.g., transistor) of the string driver device 342 to drive voltages completely across (e.g., from the first end 332 to the second, opposing end 334) and/or in opposing directions across (e.g., toward the first end 332 and toward the second, opposing end 334) an individual tier 308 electrically connected thereto.

The additional conductive routing structures 340 may extend from the conductive contact structures 336 (e.g., the second conductive contact structures 336 b), over one or more sections of the conductive stack structure 326, through one or more additional sections of the conductive stack structure 326, and to one or more of the string driver devices 342. By way of non-limiting example, as shown in FIG. 3E, the additional conductive routing structures 340 may extend from the second conductive contact structures 336 b, laterally over a middle section of the conductive stack structure 326, longitudinally through insulating sections of the tiers 308 including the remaining portions 330 of the additional insulating structures 306 (FIG. 3C) and portions of the insulating structures 304, and to the string driver devices 342. In addition, each of the additional conductive routing structures 340 may extend to the same string driver device 342, or at least one of the additional conductive routing structures 340 may extend to a different string driver device 342 than at least one other of the additional conductive routing structures 340.

The conductive routing structures 338 and the additional conductive routing structures 340 may be formed of and include at least one conductive material, such as a metal (e.g., W, Ti, Mo, Nb, V, Hf, Ta, Cr, Zr, Fe, Ru, Os, Co, Rh, Ir, Ni, Pd, Pt, Cu, Ag, Au, Al), a metal alloy (e.g., a Co-based alloy, an Fe-based alloy, a Ni-based alloy, an Fe- and Ni-based alloy, a Co- and Ni-based alloy, an Fe- and Cu-based alloy, a Co- and Ni- and Fe-based alloy, an Al-based alloy, a Cu-based alloy, a Mg-based alloy, a Ti-based alloy, a steel, a low-carbon steel, a stainless steel), a conductive metal-containing material (e.g., a conductive metal nitride, a conductive metal silicide, a conductive metal carbide, a conductive metal oxide), a conductively-doped semiconductor material (e.g., conductively-doped silicon, conductively-doped germanium, conductively-doped silicon germanium), or combinations thereof. Each of the conductive routing structures 338 and each of the additional conductive routing structures 340 may have substantially the same material composition, or one or more of the conductive routing structures 338 and the additional conductive routing structures 340 may have a different material composition than one or more other of the conductive routing structures 338 and the additional conductive routing structures 340.

The conductive contact structures 336, the conductive routing structures 338, the additional conductive routing structures 340, and the string driver devices 342 may each independently be formed using conventional processes (e.g., conventional deposition processes, conventional photolithography processes, conventional material removal processes) and conventional processing equipment, which are not described in detail herein.

Thus, in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure, a method of forming a semiconductor device structure comprises forming a stack structure comprising stacked tiers each comprising an insulating structure and an additional insulating structure longitudinally adjacent the insulating structure. Portions of the stacked tiers of the stack structure are removed to form at least one stadium structure comprising opposing staircase structures. At least one opening is formed to extend through the stacked tiers and continuously across an entire length of the at least one stadium structure to form additional stadium structures each comprising additional opposing staircase structures having steps comprising lateral ends of the stacked tiers. Portions of the additional insulating structure of each of the stacked tiers are replaced with at least one conductive material to form conductive structures in each of the stacked tiers. The conductive contact structures are coupled to the conductive structures of the stacked tiers at steps of the additional opposing staircase structures of at least one of the additional stadium structure. Conductive routing structures are coupled to and completely between pairs of the conductive contact structures to form at least one continuous conductive path extending completely across each of the stacked tiers.

In addition, in accordance with additional embodiments of the disclosure, a semiconductor device structure comprises stacked tiers each comprising conductive structures and insulating structures longitudinally adjacent the conductive structures; stadium structures each comprising opposing staircase structures having steps comprising lateral ends of the stacked tiers, at least one opening laterally intervening between at least two of the stadium structures; the at least one opening extending through the stacked tiers and continuously across entire lengths of the at least two stadium structures; conductive contact structures coupled to the conductive structures of the stacked tiers at steps of the opposing staircase structures of at least one of the stadium structures; and conductive routing structures coupled to and extending completely between pairs of the conductive contact structures to form at least one continuous conductive path extending completely across each of the stacked tiers.

One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that, in accordance with additional embodiments of the disclosure, the features and feature configurations described above in relation to FIGS. 3A-3F may be readily adapted to the design needs of different semiconductor devices (e.g., different memory devices, such as different 3D NAND Flash memory devices). By way of non-limiting example, FIG. 4 illustrates a semiconductor device structure 400 in accordance with another embodiment of the disclosure. The semiconductor device structure 400 may have similar features and functionalities to the semiconductor device structure 300 previously described. However, the semiconductor device structure 400 may, for example, include a relatively greater number of tiers 408, as well one or more additional features (e.g., additional openings, additional staircase structures, additional conductive contact structures, additional conductive routing structures) and/or feature configurations (e.g., sizes, shapes, arrangements) to account for the relatively greater number of tiers 408. To avoid repetition, not all features shown in FIG. 4 are described in detail herein. Rather, unless described otherwise below, features designated by a reference numeral that is a 100 increment of the reference numeral of a feature described previously in relation to one or more of FIGS. 3A-3F will be understood to be substantially similar to the feature described previously.

As shown in FIG. 4, the semiconductor device structure 400 may include a conductive stack structure 426 exhibiting an alternating sequence of insulating structures and conductive structures 428 arranged in tiers 408. For clarity, the insulating structures of each of the tiers 408 are not depicted FIG. 4. However, aside from variances in shape and size, the insulating structures of the conductive stack structure 426 may be substantially similar to, and may be formed and arranged in substantially the manner as, the insulating structures 304 previously described in relation to the conductive stack structure 326. The conductive stack structure 426 may include a greater number of tiers 408 than the number of the tiers 308 included in the conductive stack structure 326 of the semiconductor device structure 300 previously described in relation to FIGS. 3E and 3F.

The conductive stack structure 426 may include multiple (e.g., more than one) staircase structures 420. For example, the conductive stack structure 426 may include multiple stadium structures 422 each including opposing staircase structures 420. The multiple stadium structures 422 may be positioned in series and in parallel with one another. By way of non-limiting example, as shown in FIG. 4, the conductive stack structure 426 may include a first stadium structure 422 a, a second stadium structure 422 b, a third stadium structure 422 c, a fourth stadium structure 422 d, a fifth stadium structure 422 e, a sixth stadium structure 422 f, a seventh stadium structure 422 g, and an eighth stadium structure 422 h. The first stadium structure 422 a may include a first forward staircase structure 420 a, and a first reverse staircase structure 420 b that mirrors the first forward staircase structure 420 a. The second stadium structure 422 b may extend parallel (e.g., in the X-direction) to the first stadium structure 422 a, and may include a second forward staircase structure 420 c, and a second reverse staircase structure 420 d that mirrors the second forward staircase structure 420 c. The third stadium structure 422 c may also extend parallel (e.g., in the X-direction) to the first stadium structure 422 a, and may include a third forward staircase structure 420 e, and a third reverse staircase structure 420 f that mirrors the third forward staircase structure 420 e. The fourth stadium structure 422 d may also extend parallel (e.g., in the X-direction) to the first stadium structure 422 a, and may include a fourth forward staircase structure 420 g, and a fourth reverse staircase structure 420 h that mirrors the fourth forward staircase structure 420 g. The fifth stadium structure 422 e may extend in series (e.g., in the X-direction) to the first stadium structure 422 a, and may include a fifth forward staircase structure 420 i, and a fifth reverse staircase structure 420 j that mirrors the fifth forward staircase structure 420 i. The sixth stadium structure 422 f may extend in parallel (in the X-direction) with the fifth stadium structure 422 e and in series (e.g., in the X-direction) to the second stadium structure 422 b, and may include a sixth forward staircase structure 420 k, and a sixth reverse staircase structure 420 l that mirrors the sixth forward staircase structure 420 k. The seventh stadium structure 422 g may extend in parallel (in the X-direction) with the fifth stadium structure 422 e and in series (e.g., in the X-direction) to the third stadium structure 422 c, and may include a seventh forward staircase structure 420 m, and a seventh reverse staircase structure 420 n that mirrors the seventh forward staircase structure 420 m. The eighth stadium structure 422 h may extend in parallel (in the X-direction) with the fifth stadium structure 422 e and in series (e.g., in the X-direction) to the fourth stadium structure 422 d, and may include an eighth forward staircase structure 420 o, and an eighth reverse staircase structure 420 p that mirrors the eighth forward staircase structure 420 o. Each of the stadium structures 422 a through 422 d and 422 f through 422 h may be at least partially defined by ends of an upper group 409 a of the tiers 408 (e.g., tiers 408 positioned relatively higher in the Z-direction), and may serve as redundant and/or alternative means of connecting to the tiers 408 of the upper group 409 a. The fifth stadium structure 422 e may be at least partially defined by ends of a lower group 409 b of the tiers 408 (e.g., tiers 408 positioned relatively lower in the Z-direction), and may serve as redundant and/or alternative means of connecting to the tiers 408 of the lower group 409 b.

In additional embodiments, the conductive stack structure 426 may exhibit one or more of a different number and different configuration of staircase structures 420. By way of non-limiting example, the conductive stack structure 426 may include a different number (e.g., more or less) of stadium structures 422 associated with (e.g., at least partially defined by ends of) the upper group 409 a of the tiers 408, may include one or more additional stadium structures 422 associated with the lower group 409 b of the tiers 408, may include one or more additional stadium structures in series with one or more of the stadium structures 422, may include one or more forward staircase structures but not one or more reverse staircase structures, and/or may include one or more reverse staircase structures but not one or more forward staircase structures.

With continued reference to FIG. 4, the conductive stack structure 426 may include multiple (e.g., more than one) openings 418 therein. The openings 418 may longitudinally extend (e.g., in the Z-direction) through the conductive stack structure 426, may laterally intervene (e.g., in the Y-direction) between the staircase structures 420, and may continuously laterally extend (e.g., in the X-direction) across the entire lengths of the staircase structures 420. By way of non-limiting example, as shown in FIG. 4, the openings 418 may extend completely through each of the tiers 408, may be positioned laterally adjacent the stadium structures 422, and may continuously laterally extend across entire lengths of the stadium structures 422. A first opening 418 a may be disposed between (e.g., in the Y-direction) and extend across (e.g., in the X-direction) entire lengths of the first stadium structure 422 a and the second stadium structure 422 b. A second opening 418 b may extend in parallel with the first opening 418 a, and may be disposed between and extend across entire lengths of the second stadium structure 422 b and the third stadium structure 422 c. A third opening 418 c may extend in parallel with the first opening 418 a, and may be disposed between and extend across entire lengths of the third stadium structure 422 c and the fourth stadium structure 422 d. A fourth opening 418 d may extend in series with the first opening 418 a, and may be disposed between and extend across entire lengths of the fifth stadium structure 422 e and the sixth stadium structure 422 f. A fifth opening 418 e may extend in parallel with the fifth stadium structure 422 e and series with the second opening 418 b, and may be disposed between and extend across entire lengths of the sixth stadium structure 422 f and the seventh stadium structure 422 g. A sixth opening 418 f may extend in parallel with the fifth stadium structure 422 e and series with the third opening 418 c, and may be disposed between and extend across entire lengths of the seventh stadium structure 422 g and the eighth stadium structure 422 h. In additional embodiments, the conductive stack structure 426 may include a different number of the openings 418 (e.g., less than six (6) openings 418, or more than six (6) openings 418).

As shown in FIG. 4, the conductive structures 428 may follow (e.g., route along) lateral (e.g., side) surfaces of the conductive stack structure 426. For example, the conductive structures 428 may extend into and along outer lateral surfaces (e.g., peripheral lateral surfaces) of the tiers 408, as well as into and along inner lateral surfaces of the tiers 408 (e.g., lateral surfaces at least partially defined by the openings 418 longitudinally extending through the tiers 408). The conductive structures 428 of the upper group 409 a of the tiers 408 may laterally extend to and partially (e.g., incompletely) around the openings 418, and may at least partially define a portion of the staircase structures 420 of the conductive stack structure 326. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, one or more (e.g., each) tiers 408 of the upper group 409 a of the tiers 408 may individually include multiple (e.g., more than one) conductive structures 428 that laterally extend to and partially around the openings 418, and that partially define the stadium structures 422 a through 422 d and 422 f through 422 h. The multiple conductive structures 428 of each of the tiers 408 defining the stadium structures 422 a through 422 d and 422 f through 422 h may form discontinuous (e.g., segmented) conductive paths between a first end 432 of the conductive stack structure 426 and a second, opposing end 434 of the conductive stack structure 426. The first end 432 and the second, opposing end 434 of the conductive stack structure 426 may each be coupled to other components of a semiconductor device (e.g., a memory device) including the semiconductor device structure 400, such as one or more memory cell arrays (e.g., vertical memory cell arrays). Each of the tiers 408 of the upper group 409 a of the tiers 408 may include multiple (e.g., more than one) conductive structures 428, or at least one of the tiers 408 of the upper group 409 a may include a single (e.g., only one) conductive structure 428. In addition, the conductive structures 428 of the lower group 409 b of the tiers 408 may laterally extend to and completely around the openings 418, and may at least partially define another portion of the staircase structures 420 of the conductive stack structure 326. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, one or more (e.g., each) tiers 408 of the lower group 409 b of the tiers 408 may individually include one or more conductive structures 428 that laterally extend to and completely around the openings 418, and that partially define the fifth stadium structure 422 e. The one or more conductive structures 428 of each of the tiers 408 defining the fifth stadium structure 422 e may form one or more continuous conductive paths between the first end 432 of the conductive stack structure 426 and the second, opposing end 434 of the conductive stack structure 426. Each of the tiers 408 of the lower group 409 b of the tiers 408 may include single (e.g., only one) conductive structure 428, or at least one of the tiers 408 of the lower group 409 b may include multiple (e.g., more than one) conductive structures 428.

With continued reference to FIG. 4, first conductive contact structures 436 a (e.g., conductive plugs, conductive vertical interconnects) may be coupled (e.g., attached, connected) to at least a portion the conductive structures 428 of the upper group 409 a of the tiers 408 at opposing steps 424 of one or more of the stadium structures 422. For example, for each of the tiers 408 of the upper group 409 a of the tiers 408 defining the stadium structures 422 a through 422 d, at least one first conductive contact structure 436 a may be coupled to at least one conductive structure 428 of the tier 408 at a step 424 of at least one forward staircase structure (e.g., one or more of the first forward staircase structure 420 a, the second forward staircase structure 420 c, the third forward staircase structure 420 e, and the fourth forward staircase structure 420 g), and at least one additional first conductive contact structure 436 a may be coupled to at least one other conductive structure 428 of the tier 408 at an opposing step 424 of at least one reverse staircase structure (e.g., one or more of the first reverse staircase structure 420 b, the second reverse staircase structure 420 d, the third reverse staircase structure 420 f, and the fourth reverse staircase structure 420 h). In addition, for each of the tiers 408 of the upper group 409 a of the tiers 408 defining the stadium structures 422 f through 422 h, at least one additional first conductive contact structure 436 a may be coupled to at least one conductive structure 428 of the tier 408 at a step 424 of at least one forward staircase structure (e.g., one or more of the sixth forward staircase structure 420 k, the seventh forward staircase structure 420 m, and the eighth forward staircase structure 420 o), and at least one further first conductive contact structure 436 a may be coupled to at least one other conductive structure 428 of the tier 408 at an opposing step 424 of at least one reverse staircase structure (e.g., one or more of the sixth reverse staircase structure 420 l, the seventh reverse staircase structure 420 n, and the eighth reverse staircase structure 420 p). By way of non-limiting example, as shown in FIG. 4, for each of the tiers 408 of the upper group 409 a of the tiers 408 defining the stadium structures 422 a through 422 d and 422 f through 422 h, two (2) first conductive contact structures 436 a may be coupled to conductive structures 428 of the tier 408 at opposing steps 424 of the fourth stadium structure 422 d (e.g., opposing steps 424 of the fourth forward staircase structure 420 g and the fourth reverse staircase structure 420 h), and two (2) additional first conductive contact structures 436 a may be coupled to conductive structures 428 of the tier 408 at opposing steps 424 of the eighth stadium structure 422 h (e.g., opposing steps 424 of the eighth forward staircase structure 420 o and the eighth reverse staircase structure 420 p).

In addition, as shown in FIG. 4, second conductive contact structures 436 b may be coupled (e.g., attached, connected) to at least a portion of the conductive structures 428 of each of the upper group 409 a of the tiers 408 and the lower group of the tiers 408 at steps 424 of the stadium structures 422. For example, for each of the tiers 408 of the upper group 409 a of the tiers 408 defining the stadium structures 422 a through 422 d and 422 f through 422 h at least one second conductive contact structure 436 b may be coupled to at least one conductive structure 428 of the tier 408 at a step 424 of at least one of the stadium structures 422 a through 422 d and 422 f through 422 h. By way of non-limiting example, for each of the tiers 408 of the upper group 409 a of the tiers 408 defining the stadium structures 422 a through 422 d and 422 f through 422 h, at least one second conductive contact structure 436 b may be coupled to at least one conductive structure 428 of the tier 408 at one or more steps 424 of the first stadium structure 422 a (e.g., a step 424 of the first forward staircase structure 420 a, and/or a step 424 of the first reverse staircase structure 420 b). In addition, for each of the tiers 408 of the lower group 409 b defining the fifth stadium structure 422 e at least one additional second conductive contact structure 436 b may be coupled to at least one conductive structure 428 of the tier 408 at a step 424 of the fifth stadium structure 422 e. By way of non-limiting example, for each of the tiers 408 of the lower group 409 b of the tiers 408 defining the fifth stadium structure 422 e, at least one second conductive contact structure 436 b may be coupled to at least one conductive structure 428 of the tier 408 at one or more steps 424 of the fifth stadium structure 422 e (e.g., a step 424 of fifth forward staircase structure 420 i, and/or a step 424 of the fifth reverse staircase structure 420 j).

With continued reference to FIG. 4, conductive routing structures 438 may be coupled (e.g., attached, connected) to and extend between the first conductive contact structures 436 a. The conductive routing structures 438 may form conductive paths between (e.g., electrically connect) electrically isolated conductive structures 428 of the tiers 408 of the upper group 409 a of the tiers 408. For each of the tiers 408 of the upper group 409 a defining the stadium structures 422 a through 422 d and 422 f through 422 h, the combination of the first conductive contact structures 436 a and the conductive routing structures 438 may electrically connect a least a portion of conductive structures 428 of the tier 408 to form a continuous conductive path extending from the first end 432 of the conductive stack structure 426 to the second, opposing end 434 of the conductive stack structure 426. For example, for each of the tiers 408 defining the stadium structures 422 a through 422 d, at least one conductive routing structure 438 may extend from at least one first conductive contact structure 436 a located on or over a step 424 of at least one forward staircase structure (e.g., one or more of the first forward staircase structure 420 a, the second forward staircase structure 420 c, the third forward staircase structure 420 e, and the fourth forward staircase structure 420 g) to at least one other first conductive contact structure 436 a positioned on or over a step 424 of at least one reverse staircase structure (e.g., one or more of the first reverse staircase structure 420 b, the second reverse staircase structure 420 d, the third reverse staircase structure 420 f, and the fourth reverse staircase structure 420 h). In addition, for each of the tiers 408 defining the stadium structures 422 f through 422 h, at least one conductive routing structure 438 may extend from at least one first conductive contact structure 436 a positioned on or over a step 424 of at least one forward staircase structure (e.g., one or more of the sixth forward staircase structure 420 k, the seventh forward staircase structure 420 m, and the eighth forward staircase structure 420 o) to at least one other first conductive contact structure 436 a positioned on or over a step 424 of at least one reverse staircase structure (e.g., one or more of the sixth reverse staircase structure 420 l, the seventh reverse staircase structure 420 n, and the eighth reverse staircase structure 420 p). By way of non-limiting example, as shown in FIG. 4, for each of the tiers 408 of the upper group 409 a defining the stadium structures 422 a through 422 d and 422 f through 422 h, a conductive routing structure 438 may be coupled to the first conductive contact structures 436 a located on or over opposing steps 424 of the fourth stadium structure 422 d (e.g., on or over opposing steps 424 of the fourth forward staircase structure 420 g and the fourth reverse staircase structure 420 h), and another conductive routing structure 438 may be coupled to the first conductive contact structures 436 a located on or over opposing steps 424 of the eighth stadium structure 422 h (e.g., on or over opposing steps 424 of the eighth forward staircase structure 420 o and the eighth reverse staircase structure 420 p).

As previously described, tiers 408 (e.g., at least the lower group 409 b of the tiers 408) of the conductive stack structure 426 longitudinally below the tiers 408 defining the stadium structures 422 a through 422 d and 422 f through 422 h may already exhibit continuous conductive paths extending from the first end 432 of the conductive stack structure 426 to the second, opposing end 434 of the conductive stack structure 426 due to the portions of the conductive structures 428 thereof that extend to and completely around the openings 418. Accordingly, with the use of the first conductive contact structures 436 a and the conductive routing structures 438, each of the tiers 408 of the conductive stack structure 426 may exhibit at least one continuous conductive path extending from the first end 432 of the conductive stack structure 426 to the second, opposing end 434 of the conductive stack structure 426.

As shown in FIG. 4, additional conductive routing structures 440 may be coupled (e.g., attached, connected) to and extend between the second conductive contact structures 436 b and at least one string driver device 442. The additional conductive routing structures 440 may form conductive paths between (e.g., electrically connect) the string driver device 442 and at least some of the conductive structures 428 of each of the upper group 409 a of the tiers 408 and the lower group 409 b of the tiers 408. For example, for each of the tiers 408 of the upper group 409 a defining the stadium structures 422 a through 422 d and 422 f through 422 h, at least one additional conductive routing structure 440 may extend from at least one second conductive contact structure 436 b located on or over a step 424 of one or more of the stadium structures 422 a through 422 d and 422 f through 422 h (e.g., a step 424 of one or more of the forward staircase structures 420 a, 420 c, 420 e, 420 g, 420 k, 420 m, and 420 o, and/or a step 424 of one or more of the reverse staircase structures 420 b, 420 d, 420 f, 420 h, 4201, 420 n, and 420 p) to at least one of the string driver devices 442. In addition, for each of the tiers 408 of the lower group 409 b defining the fifth stadium structure 422 e, at least one other additional conductive routing structure 440 may extend from a step 424 of the fifth stadium structure 422 e (e.g., a step 424 of the fifth forward staircase structure 420 i, and/or a step 424 of the fifth reverse staircase structure 420 j) to at least one of the string driver devices 442.

The conductive paths between the one or more string driver devices 442 and the conductive structures 428 of the tiers 408 provided by the second conductive contact structures 436 b and additional conductive routing structures 440 may facilitate application of voltages to the conductive structures 428 using the string driver devices 442. In turn, the continuous conductive paths across the conductive stack structure 426 (e.g., from the first end 432 to the second, opposing end 434) provided by the configurations and positions of the conductive structures 428, the first conductive contact structures 436 a, and the conductive routing structures 438 may permit an individual (e.g., single) switching device (e.g., transistor) of the string driver device 442 to drive voltages completely across (e.g., from the first end 432 to the second, opposing end 434) and/or in opposing directions across (e.g., toward the first end 432 and toward the second, opposing end 434) an individual tier 408 electrically connected thereto.

In additional embodiments, one or more of the conductive routing structures 438 and the additional conductive routing structures 440 may be configured and/or positioned differently than depicted in FIG. 4. By way of non-limiting example, FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of a semiconductor device structure 500 including conductive routing structures 538 exhibiting different configurations than the conductive routing structures 438 (FIG. 4). The semiconductor device structure 500 may be substantially similar to the semiconductor device structure 400, except for the conductive routing structures 538 and the associated positions of at least some of the first conductive contact structures 436 a, the second conductive contact structures 436 b, and the additional conductive routing structure 440.

As shown in FIG. 5, in contrast to the configurations and positions of the conductive routing structures 438 (FIG. 4), individual conductive routing structures 538 may be coupled to and extend between first conductive contact structures 436 a located on or over steps 424 of different stadium structures 422. For one or more (e.g., each) of the tiers 408 of the upper group 409 a defining the stadium structures 422 a through 422 d and 422 f through 422 h, one or more conductive routing structures 538 may individually electrically connect conductive structures 428 of different stadium structures 422 (e.g., stadium structures 422 positioned in series with one another) of the tier 408 to form a continuous conductive path extending from the first end 432 of the conductive stack structure 426 to the second, opposing end 434 of the conductive stack structure 426. For example, for each of the tiers 408 of the upper group 409 a defining the stadium structures 422 a through 422 d and 422 f through 422 h, at least one conductive routing structure 538 may extend from at least one first conductive contact structure\ 436 a located on or over a step 424 of one or more of the stadium structures 422 a through 422 d (e.g., a step 424 of one or more of the forward staircase structures 420 a, 420 c, 420 e, and 420 g, and/or a step 424 of one or more of the reverse staircase structures 420 b, 420 d, 420 f, and 420 h) to at least one other first conductive contact structure 436 a located on or over a step 424 of one or more of the stadium structures 422 f through 422 h (e.g., a step 424 of one or more of the forward staircase structures 420 k, 420 m, and 420 o, and/or a step 424 of one or more of the reverse staircase structures 420 l, 420 n, and 420 p). By way of non-limiting example, as shown in FIG. 5, for each of the tiers 408 of the upper group 409 a defining the stadium structures 422 a through 422 d and 422 f through 422 h, a conductive routing structure 438 may extend completely between a first conductive contact structure 436 a located on or over a step 424 of the fourth stadium structure 422 d (e.g., on or over a step 424 of the fourth forward staircase structure 420 g, or on or over a step 424 of the fourth reverse staircase structure 420 h) and another first conductive contact structure 436 a located on or over a step 424 of the eighth stadium structure 422 h (e.g., on or over a step 424 of the eighth forward staircase structure 420 o, or on or over a step 424 of the eighth reverse staircase structure 420 p).

In addition, as also shown in FIG. 5, optionally, at least one of the first conductive contact structures 436 a located on or over the steps 424 of one or more of stadium structures 422 defined by the upper group 409 a of the tiers 408 may be shared by at least one of the conductive routing structures 538 and at least one of the additional conductive routing structures 440. The additional conductive routing structure 440 may be coupled to and extend between to the first conductive contact structure 436 a and at least one of the string driver devices 442. By way of non-limiting example, as depicted in FIG. 5, at least one of the first conductive contact structures 436 a located on or over a step 424 of the fourth stadium structure 422 d may be shared by at least one conductive routing structure 538 extending to at least one of the first conductive contact structures 436 a located on or over a step 424 of the eighth stadium structure 422 h, and at least one additional conductive routing structure 440 extending to at least one of the string driver devices 442. Alternative to, or in combination with, sharing one or more of the first conductive contact structures 436 a between the at least one of the conductive routing structures 538 and at least one of the additional conductive routing structures 440, one or more of the tiers 408 of the upper group 409 a may be electrically connected to one or more of the string driver devices 442 in the manner previously described above in relation to FIG. 4.

Similar to the configuration of the semiconductor device structure 400 (FIG. 4), the configuration of the semiconductor device structure 500 may permit individual switching devices (e.g., individual transistors) of the string driver devices 442 to drive voltages completely across (e.g., from the first end 432 to the second, opposing end 434) and/or in opposing directions across (e.g., toward the first end 432 and toward the second, opposing end 434) individual tiers 408 of the conductive stack structure 426 electrically connected thereto.

Semiconductor devices (e.g., memory devices, such as 3D NAND Flash memory device) including one or more of the semiconductor device structures 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure may be used in embodiments of electronic systems of the disclosure. For example, FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an illustrative electronic system 600 according to embodiments of disclosure. The electronic system 600 may comprise, for example, a computer or computer hardware component, a server or other networking hardware component, a cellular telephone, a digital camera, a personal digital assistant (PDA), portable media (e.g., music) player, a WiFi or cellular-enabled tablet such as, for example, an iPad® or SURFACE® tablet, an electronic book, a navigation device, etc. The electronic system 600 includes at least one memory device 602. The at least one memory device 602 may include, for example, an embodiment of one or more of the semiconductor device structures 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 shown in FIGS. 1A through 5 (i.e., including FIGS. 1A through 1G, 2, 3A through 3F, 4, and 5). The electronic system 600 may further include at least one electronic signal processor device 604 (often referred to as a “microprocessor”). The electronic signal processor device 604 may, optionally, include a semiconductor device structure substantially similar to an embodiment of one or more of the semiconductor device structures 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 shown in FIGS. 1A through 5 (i.e., including FIGS. 1A through 1G, 2, 3A through 3F, 4, and 5). The electronic system 600 may further include one or more input devices 606 for inputting information into the electronic system 600 by a user, such as, for example, a mouse or other pointing device, a keyboard, a touchpad, a button, or a control panel. The electronic system 600 may further include one or more output devices 608 for outputting information (e.g., visual or audio output) to a user such as, for example, a monitor, a display, a printer, an audio output jack, a speaker, etc. In some embodiments, the input device 606 and the output device 608 may comprise a single touch screen device that can be used both to input information to the electronic system 600 and to output visual information to a user. The one or more input devices 606 and output devices 608 may communicate electrically with at least one of the memory device 602 and the electronic signal processor device 604.

Thus, in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure, an electronic system comprises at least one semiconductor device structure comprising stacked tiers each comprising at least one conductive structure and at least one insulating structure longitudinally adjacent the at least one conductive structure; at least one stadium structure comprising opposing staircase structures having steps comprising lateral ends of the stacked tiers; at least one opening laterally adjacent the stadium structures, the at least one opening extending through the stacked tiers and continuously across an entire length of the at least one stadium structure; and at least one continuous conductive path at least partially formed by the at least one conductive structure of each of the stacked tiers and extending across an entire length of each of the stacked tiers.

The methods and structures of the disclosure may decrease the number of switching devices and interconnections required to drive voltages completely across and/or in different directions across a conductive structure of a tier as compared to conventional methods and structures associated with various semiconductor devices (e.g., memory devices, such as 3D NAND Flash memory). The methods and structures of the disclosure may permit a single switching device to drive an access line (e.g., word line) of a memory cell array from a more centralized (e.g., middle, non-edge) location, which may reduce resistance×current (RC) delay by one-fourth (¼) as compared to conventional methods and structures. The methods and structures of the disclosure may also reduce costs (e.g., manufacturing costs, material costs) and performance, scalability, efficiency, and simplicity as compared to conventional structures and methods.

While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and have been described in detail herein. However, the disclosure is not limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the following appended claims and their legal equivalent 

1. A semiconductor device, comprising: stacked tiers each comprising conductive material and insulating material longitudinally adjacent the conductive structures; stadium structures each comprising opposing staircase structures having steps comprising lateral ends of the stacked tiers; at least one filled opening laterally intervening between at least two of the stadium structures, the at least one opening extending through the stacked tiers and continuously across entire lengths of the at least two of the stadium structures; conductive contact structures coupled to the conductive material of the stacked tiers at the steps of the opposing staircase structures of at least one of the stadium structures; and conductive routing structures coupled to and extending completely between pairs of the conductive contact structures to form at least one continuous conductive path extending completely across each of the stacked tiers.
 2. The semiconductor device of claim 1, further comprising additional conductive routing structures coupled to at least some of the conductive contact structures and extending to at least one string driver device.
 3. The semiconductor device structure of claim 1, wherein the stadium structures comprise: at least two stadium structures extending parallel to one another; and at least two additional stadium structures extending parallel to one another and in series with the at least two stadium structures.
 4. The semiconductor device of claim 3, wherein the at least one filled opening comprises: a first filled opening laterally intervening between the at least two stadium structures and continuously extending across an entire length of each of the at least two stadium structures; and a second filled opening laterally intervening between the at least two additional stadium structures and continuously extending across an entire length of each of the at least two additional stadium structures.
 5. The semiconductor device of claim 3, wherein a first of the at least two additional stadium structures comprises a first group of steps comprising lateral ends of a first group of the stacked tiers, and wherein a second of the at least two additional stadium structures comprises a second group of steps comprising lateral ends of a second, longitudinally lower group of the stacked tiers.
 6. The semiconductor device of claim 3, wherein at least one of the conductive routing structures is coupled to and extends completely between at least one conductive contact structure overlying at least one step of one or more of the at least two stadium structures and at least one other conductive contact structure overlying at least one step of one or more of the at least two additional stadium structures.
 7. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein: four of the stadium structures extend parallel to one another in a first lateral direction; and three of the filled openings extend parallel to one another in the first lateral direction and separating the four of the stadium structures from one another in a second lateral direction perpendicular to the first lateral direction.
 8. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the conductive contact structures coupled to the conductive material of the stacked tiers at steps of the opposing staircase structures of the at least one of the stadium structures are substantially aligned with one another across an entire length of the at least one of the stadium structures.
 9. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the stadium structures is free of any of the conductive contact structures on the steps thereof.
 10. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the at least one filled opening comprises at least one opening substantially filled with at least one insulating material.
 11. A semiconductive device, comprising: a stack structure comprising a vertically alternating sequence of conductive material and insulating material arranged in tiers; stadium structures each comprising opposing staircase structures having steps comprising horizontal ends of the tiers of the stack structure, the stadium structures extending in parallel in a first horizontal direction and separated from one another in a second horizontal direction orthogonal to the first horizontal direction by filled trenches; pairs of contact structures physically contacting the conductive material of at least some of the tiers of the stack structure at pairs of the steps of the opposing staircase structures of one of the stadium structures, the pairs of the steps located at substantially the same vertical position within the stack structure as one another; and for each of the pairs of contact structures, at least one routing structure horizontally extending from and between a first contact structure and a second contact structure of the pair of the contact structures.
 12. The semiconductive device of claim 11, wherein each of the stadium structures is located at substantially the same vertical position within the stack structure as each other of the stadium structures.
 13. The semiconductive device of claim 11, wherein at least one of the stadium structures is located at a different vertical position within the stack structure than at least one other of the stadium structures.
 14. The semiconductive device of claim 11, further comprising additional stadium structures each comprising additional opposing staircase structures having additional steps comprising additional horizontal ends of the tiers of the stack structure, the additional stadium structures extending in parallel with one another in the first horizontal direction and in series with the stadium structures in the first horizontal direction.
 15. The semiconductive device of claim 14, further comprising an elevated region of the stack structure horizontally interposed between the stadium structures and the additional stadium structures in the first horizontal direction, the elevated region of the stack structure comprising a section including a vertically alternating sequence of additional insulative material and the insulating material horizontally surrounded in the first horizontal direction and the second horizontal direction by the vertically alternating sequence of the conductive material and the insulating material.
 16. A semiconductive device, comprising: a stack structure comprising tiers vertically adjacent one another, each of the tiers comprising: a conductive structure; and an insulating structure vertically adjacent the conductive structure; stadium structures extending in parallel in a first horizontal direction within the stack structure, each of the stadium structures comprising: a first staircase structure having negative slope and including first steps comprising first edges of the tiers of the stack structure; and a second staircase structure in series with the first staircase structure in the first horizontal direction and having positive slope, the second staircase structure including second steps comprising second edges of the tiers of the stack structure; openings filled with insulating material interposed between the stadium structures in a second horizontal direction orthogonal to the first horizontal direction, each of the openings horizontally extending in the first horizontal direction from a vertically uppermost one of the first steps to a vertically uppermost one of the second steps; conductive contact structures on all of the first steps of the first staircase structure and all of the second steps of the second staircase structure of one of the stadium structures; and conductive routing structures contacting and horizontally extending between pairs of the conductive contact structures terminating at substantially the same vertical position as one another.
 17. The semiconductive device of claim 16, further comprising: additional conductive contact structures on one or more of the first steps of the first staircase structure and the second steps of the second staircase structure of an additional one of the stadium structures; and additional conductive routing structures contacting and extending from the additional conductive contact structures to at least one string driver device vertically underlying the stack structure.
 18. The semiconductive device of claim 17, further comprising: additional stadium structures extending in parallel in the first horizontal direction within the stack structure, each of the stadium structures extending in series in the first horizontal direction with one of the stadium structures and comprising: a first additional staircase structure having negative slope and including first additional steps comprising first additional edges of the tiers of the stack structure; and a second additional staircase structure in series with the first additional staircase structure in the first horizontal direction and having positive slope, the second additional staircase structure including second additional steps comprising second additional edges of the tiers of the stack structure; additional openings filled with additional insulating material interposed between the additional stadium structures in the second horizontal direction, each of the additional openings horizontally extending in the first horizontal direction from a vertically uppermost one of the first additional steps to a vertically uppermost one of the second additional steps; additional conductive contact structures on all of the first additional steps of the first additional staircase structure and all of the second additional steps of the second additional staircase structure of one of the additional stadium structures; and additional conductive routing structures contacting and horizontally extending between pairs of the additional conductive contact structures terminating at substantially the same vertical position as one another.
 19. The semiconductive device of claim 18, further comprising: further conductive contact structures on one or more of the first additional steps of the first additional staircase structure and the second additional steps of the second additional staircase structure of an additional one of the additional stadium structures; and further conductive routing structures contacting and extending from the further conductive contact structures to at least one additional string driver device vertically underlying the stack structure.
 20. The semiconductive device of claim 18, wherein a lowermost vertical boundary of at least one of the additional stadium structures is vertically offset from a lowermost vertical boundary of at least one of the stadium structures. 